Do you really mean forever?
by iole01
Summary: Sequel to Becoming Bella- Bella is finally part of the family, but her 'together forever' seems to be threatened not only by her lover himself but can a visit from the Volturi make things worse? What is she willing to give up to protect her new family?ExB
1. Introduction

'**Do you really mean forever?' is the sequel to 'Becoming Bella' and if you like my writing, please do read Becoming Bella as I hope it will give you more insight on why I've written the characters as I have. However, it is not necessary to read Becoming Bella to fully understand the plot.**

Enjoy your reading,  
>Iole01 xxx<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

**So this took forever, I'm sure I've lost all my readers and I apologize. It's been over a year. I'm finally getting round to it. Hope you can enjoy it!**

**And just to start with a slight reminder of where we left off…**__

_"Edward?"  
>"Hmmm" He hummed into my hair. I hesitated slightly.<br>"Do you really mean forever?"  
>"Of course I do, you know that."<br>"But do you __really __mean it? Do you want to be together for eternity?" I felt him stiffen and his next words were very slow.  
>"What do you mean?" I took a deep breath and decided it was no longer time to beat around the bush.<br>"I want to be with you forever, I want to become a vampire." I waited for his reaction, my back was to him so I couldn't gauge his reaction and this silence was definitely full of tension. I could feel the seconds ticking by. Finally his answer came out, cold and harsh.  
>"No." I took in a sharp breath in surprise and pulled away to face him.<br>"Why not?" I asked taken aback, the tears forming in my eyes. His eyes in return, softened and he tried to pull me back to him but I refused.  
>"I will not damn you to this life. "<br>"__Damn?__ Do you know what you're talking about? Do you wish Carlisle never saved you?" He was getting frustrated.  
>"No Bella, do you know what <em>_you__ are talking about? You can not take things so lightly, I refuse to change you and that's final."  
>"Take this lightly? I've known my decision for a while, I have turned around in my mind so many times you would be surprised! Don't even suggest I haven't thought about it because I have. I know what I want. I want you." He just shook his head angrily and my heart broke.<br>"Don't you want me too?" I choked and his eyes snapped up to mine. I was immediately engulfed in his embrace as he cradled me. I couldn't help the small sobs that were escaping out of my throat.  
>"Shh, Bella, its okay, its okay Bella." He whispered as he rocked me. "I want you and nothing but you; please believe that. I don't want this life for you. I don't know what I would have chosen if given the choice. I will not take your soul away."<br>"My s-soul?" I cried unbelieving. "You think vampires don't have a soul?" I felt him nod and the sobs only came quicker and louder. "How can you t-think that? Do you honestly b-believe that you don't have a soul? That anybody in this f-family doesn't have a soul. You're wrong Edward, you have more of a soul that anybody else I know." I just cried harder when rethinking of what he just said. How could he think that- it horrified me, they were the kindest, most considerate, most- "Calm down Bella, I'm sorry, calm down, please. Breathe with me." He said anxiously. He hugged me tighter and rocked me until the sobs eventually quieted and turned into small hiccups.  
>"I love you, I need you." I said quietly clinging on to his shirt.<br>"I love you too, more than you can imagine. But I can't Bella. I can't do that to you. Please, drop it." I nodded minimally but I knew what I wanted and I wouldn't forget it. He lifted my chin with his finger and looked at me for a few seconds- searching my face until a small smile graced his lips.  
>"I love you, you know." I smiled too.<br>"Ditto."  
>"Ditto? That's all I get?" He played.<br>"Mhmm…" I joked. "Okay, maybe not." I leaned forward to kiss him but he met me half way. For once I was the one to break away as I desperately needed oxygen and Edward placed small kisses running from my neck to my temple.  
>"Now get some sleep, you look tired." He whispered tenderly. Just to emphasize his point I yawned. He chuckled slightly and I snuggled closer. I was already slipping into a blissful sleep but I fought it as hard as I could to say one more things, the only thing left to say,<em>

_"My soul already belongs to you."_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Chapter 1

Bella POV

My life with the Cullens has been beyond wonderful. Of course we had our constant bickering, but that's just what siblings do. Unfortunately, being the only person that didn't have super strength or speed, I was always the victim. Not that I didn't have Edward on my side, although I must admit he wasn't the most reliable as he found my suffering entertaining from time to time…

Everybody was amazed at how quickly I adapted and if I have to be honest so was I. My story was like something coming out of a movie. I mean sometimes I could hardly believe all the abuse had happened. Although, the scars were one reminder I couldn't get rid of. Esme assured me they weren't that bad and they were healing, but sometimes it could just be a bit difficult.

School has been fine for the past semester, boring and uneventful. I can't just forget what happened with the students there, how Lauren and Jessica tortured me, how the others just ignored what was happening, but I have managed to get closer to a few people, like Angela and Ben.

The subject of me becoming a vampire had occurred several times and each outcome had been unsuccessful. Emmett was keen on me being fully part of the family, he said that if I were unbreakable, he could play more pranks on me. Great… Alice said it was only a matter of time and if I were certain, stupid to delay the process. Jasper stood by his wife but did seem to genuinely want me as a vampire sister. Rose was torn, she loves me but couldn't bear the idea of me missing out on the things she wished she had. I understood her, but really didn't agree. Carlisle and Esme wanted to add me to the family, but even though most of the people were on my side, Edward firmly wasn't. Without Edward's approval, it just wouldn't happen. I did see his point of view, but still, I couldn't get rid of the nagging doubt that if he truly loved me, he'd be ecstatic at the idea of me being a vampire. It would make things so much easier and save him from many worries.

I was going to bring it up again soon. I'm much stronger than I used to be. I don't panic as easily and even though I know that my family is ridiculously over protective, I can take care of myself and I know what I want. I am not influenced, I am not deluded, I want to be a vampire. Today he won't say no, he'll finally realize that it's the right thing. Even if he doesn't want to stay with me, I can still be part of the family. I couldn't live without him, which means that if I had to, I'm sure I could make it work as a friend. He can't say no again, it's just not fai-  
>"Bella?" Edward's smooth voice called out from in front of me.<br>"You really need to start making more noise when you enter the room. It's disturbing."  
>"Wouldn't have made a difference, you seemed to be deep in thought."<br>"What can I say? My own mind is just fascinating." I said casually, confidently.  
>"Don't rub it in." He grumbled. I know it still infuriated him when he didn't know what I was thinking.<br>"Care to share?" He asked after I didn't elaborate. I smiled.  
>"Nope."<br>"I hate you sometimes." He glared.  
>"I know." And with that I cheerfully jumped off the bed and skipped out of my room to go join the family outside. Edward followed me with a half resigned, half amused chuckle.<p>

Jasper and Emmett were wrestling as I reached the garden and Rose and Alice were watching. Rose frowned slightly whilst Alice looked smug. I laughed as I sat down next to Rose.  
>"Have you still not learnt to never bet against Alice? Seriously, even I know that."<br>"Oh be quiet, I was sure this time."  
>"You're sure every time." Edward pointed out. Rosalie growled in annoyance.<br>"So who's winning?" I asked  
>"Me of course!" Emmett boasted temporarily taking his eyes off Jasper to wave at me like a fool. Jasper took his chance and tackled Emmett to the floor.<br>"Wait, that's not fair. That…was…a…time…out." Emmett gasped as the wrestling became wild and they started throwing punches.  
>"Fantastic." Edward muttered as he grudgingly made his way over to break his brothers up. This didn't go as planned since Jasper just dragged him into the tumult. Sounds of thunder echoed around the garden. I was too used to this to be startled. Esme walked in from behind and looked at her sons for a few seconds before turning to me.<br>"Cookies?" She smiled. I was definitely up for some cookie bonding time.  
>"Sure." Alice and Rose followed me inside.<p>

It's always much easier to cook without the boys. Their cooking must always turn into a food fight… Alice decided to make banoffie cookies and we set ourselves to work. Eventually Edward walked in, his hair disheveled and his clothes torn.  
>"Sexy." I joked, and he just rolled his eyes. I have to admit, it was difficult to tear my eyes away from the skin that was exposed.<br>"Woah now Bella, don't get carried away." Jasper sniggered as he walked inside and I blushed deep scarlet much to Emmett's amusement.  
>"Will you guys ever grow up?" Esme sighed and Emmett just shrugged.<br>"Wasn't Carlisle supposed to be back by now?" I asked keen to switch the focus elsewhere.  
>"He just called, he's going to be a little late. Difficult case at the hospital." Edward looked at her questioningly but didn't give anything away. I sighed.<br>"I'd thought we'd gotten over all this secrecy."  
>"You're too perceptive for your own good." Esme murmured fondly.<br>"So are you going to tell me?"  
>"Nope." Edward joked mimicking what I had previously said to him.<br>"If I tell you what I was thinking, would you tell me this?"  
>"Probably not, but you can try." He grinned.<br>"You are horrible to me." I said melodramatically as I tried to make a sweeping exit but conveniently had to be me and trip whilst jumping off the stool. Edward caught me as usual. Emmett roared in laughter.  
>"You really need to work on that." He chocked and I pouted.<br>"I hate always being teased." Edward tightened his arms around me and kissed my head.  
>"You wouldn't do this if I were a vampire." Edward stiffened but slowly relaxed as I was merely joking with my siblings.<br>"Oh yes, I'm sure you'd be a terrifying vampire." Jasper mocked.  
>"I wouldn't joke, she's got a temper…" Rose added and I glowered.<br>"Doesn't matter either way as she's staying as she is." Edward cut off the conversation swiftly.  
>"Awkward." I heard Emmett whisper followed by a loud smack as Rose hit him over the head.<p>

"Have you finished your homework Bella?" Esme asked and I groaned.  
>"Why do you always check up on me as if I were a child." I grumbled embarrassed.<br>"You are a child."  
>"Emmett is more of a child than I am!" I protested.<br>"Even I can't deny that." Esme said sadly looking at her son who was currently tasting the freshly made cookies and throwing them up.  
>"Beautiful." Rose sighed. I couldn't help but giggle. I looked at the time and my laughter stopped. I was physically much weaker since my injuries and as pathetic as it sounded, I really needed my sleep and saw it was reaching my bedtime. I stood up and hugged everybody goodnight before going upstairs. I knew Edward would join me once he heard me getting into bed. I'd gotten used to the idea that they could hear my every movement.<p>

I showered, letting the warm water relax my muscles and used my familiar strawberry shampoo. I got out of my bathroom to find Edward already settled on my bed.  
>"Stalker." I smiled and climbed into his embrace.<br>"You know you like it." He said brushing my hair out of my face.  
>"Undoubtedly." I snuggled into his side and rested my head on his shoulder.<br>"Do you want to sleep straight away?" I shook my head slightly.  
>"Are you okay?" He asked.<p>

"Yes, I'm just tired."  
>"Then sleep."<br>"No…"  
>"Why?"<br>"Too much effort."  
>"How is sleeping effort?" He chuckled and I just shrugged. There was a small pause.<br>"You've been talking about Charlie in your sleep." He said quietly and I cringed. Charlie had been on my mind.  
>"Yeah, nothing to worry about, I'm fine."<br>"I know you are, you are insanely strong for a fragile human." I smiled against his chest.  
>"You do know you can talk to me about anything right?"<br>"Yeah… I don't know. I was just thinking."  
>"Thinking about?"<br>"I think I'm ready to go visit his grave." Edward didn't say anything.  
>"Edward?"<br>"Are you sure?"  
>"Yes." I sighed. "I don't hate him. How can I? He was sick." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting off the memories I knew haunted him as much as they did me.<br>"You're too kind. We can go tomorrow after school if you want."  
>"Are you upset with me?" I asked sadly and he sighed.<br>"No, how could I ever be? You just amaze me."  
>"I just think, I'm finally ready to let go. I want to let go."<br>"I understand." I smiled and hugged him tighter.  
>"I love you." I whispered contently.<p>

"I love you too." He smiled and started to hum my lullaby. I could feel myself becoming drowsy.  
>"No fair." I complained half heartedly.<br>"Sleep well Bella."

And as I drifted to sleep, I vaguely remembered the conversation in the kitchen. I'd have to make sure to remember to ask why Carlisle had to work late on a Sunday…

**I do hope you've enjoyed the first chapter. I'm going to try and update once a week and until then I really hope you enjoy my story**

**Iole01 xxx**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Edward POV

I held Bella in my arms still bewildered at her courage and strength. She's been doing much better, there's no denying it. However, she's also very good at hiding her discomfort from others, even Jasper occasionally. I've come to understand that she will reach out to me if she needs to. Sometimes she just needs to be encouraged. Still… wanting to go and see her father's grave. After everything he's done to her? I can understand that she wants to let him go, but I will not let him drag her down when he's beyond the grave.

I heard Esme's thoughts as she came up the stairs.  
>"Come in." I whispered making sure not to wake Bella. She walked in quietly and sat down gently on the edge of the bed.<br>"We're going to have to tell her."  
>"I know." I sighed. "When will Carlisle be back?"<br>"He should be home shortly."  
>"I don't like this. He shouldn't have had to help those mutts."<br>"It's he's job."  
>"They went to the hospital to taunt him. Since when have they come to Forks for medical treatment?"<br>"Carlisle didn't have a choice, he can hardly refuse to treat a patient."  
>"After what they did to Bella." I growled and I felt Bella shift next to me. Suddenly Alice appeared in the doorway.<br>"Let's talk about this downstairs? You'll be back by the time she wakes up and she won't notice." I nodded and gently untangled myself. We all left the room quietly.

Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Carlisle were waiting in the dining room. Esme went directly to greet her husband and Alice perched gracefully on the chair next to Jasper. Carlisle cleared his throat.  
>"I assume you're all aware that I had a little visit from Jacob today?" Emmett's growl was taken as a confirmation.<br>"He arrived in such a way that I couldn't refuse to speak to him." Carlisle added guiltily. Esme placed a hand on his shoulder. I took a good look at my family. We'd been in this situation before. All sat around the dining room table, it was just the sign that something important was going on.  
>"What did he want?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.<br>"He wants to see Bella." Emmett stood up abruptly in protest.  
>"Last time he saw her he was trying to send her to her father so that Charlie could kill her." He said indignantly.<br>"We're not letting him get anywhere near Bella." Rose added.  
>"What made him think you'd let him see Bella?" Jasper asked quietly containing his rage, which was proving extremely difficult as he had to endure the rage from every individual in the room.<br>"That's what confuses me. He didn't expect to see her really. He was curious when he asked and I didn't get any disappointment when I clearly refused." We sat in silence one more. It was stupid to be here; conspiring as we were, but after our last encounter with the werewolves we were on our guard. They weren't worried about being discreet which they proved by tearing Bella's hospital room to pieces. No, they knew what they wanted and would do everything in their power do get it. 

"We need to be on our guard. Particularly as Alice can't see them." I said ignoring Alice's slight scowl. She knew nobody blamed her, but she still didn't like being blind to the dogs' future.  
>"There's nothing we can do unless they make another move against Bella and we'll do our best to prevent that from happening." Carlisle concluded calmly but Emmett wasn't satisfied.<br>"So, we're just going to sit around and do _nothing_?" I could hear his thoughts getting frantic as he saw several images of Bella in the hospital, of Bella in a pool of blood after Charlie's last beating… I flinched at the images and focused on Alice's thoughts instead. She was frustrated and scared for Bella but her mind was more pleasant than Emmett's.  
>"There is nothing to do. Jacob doesn't present any urgent threat. He simply asked to meet her to discuss Charlie's death. He came in as a patient and will probably return as such."<br>"He's planning something! Werewolves don't even need to see a doctor with their freaking healing capabilities! Last time he nearly killed Bella. I promised I wouldn't let him near her again."  
>"I know this is difficult but-"<br>"_Difficult? _Is that what you would call it then? Difficult to see Bella nearly beaten to death?"  
>"Don't you dare take on that tone with me, you know that I would have done anything to save Bella and I still would. We can't do anything at the moment but I swear that nothing will happen to her." Carlisle's tone was dangerous. He very rarely lost his temper and his outburst forced Emmett to back down.<p>

"Bella is happy." Rose injected. "She is recovering and she is happy. She doesn't need to know about this."  
>"I don't think she'd be pleased if we kept this from her." Jasper warned.<br>"I don't want to deceive her, but she doesn't need to be reminded of her previous life." I stated firmly.  
>"She will find out."<br>"And when she does, she'll understand our decision."  
>"You know that won't work."<br>"I want to protect her."  
>"So do I." The tension in the room was becoming too much as Jasper and I stared each other down.<br>"Ok, enough." Alice sighed. "There is no point in telling her now, it will worry her unnecessarily. We shouldn't lie to her either if she asks directly. Now can you all please calm down? Your constant arguments are making the future flicker."  
>"Sorry." I mumbled and Jasper nodded apologetically.<br>"Edward, you might want to go back upstairs, Bella will be waking up soon." I nodded in thanks and left the room silently.

I didn't realize how tense I was until I entered the room and all stress drained from my body as I saw Bella's sleeping form. She really was beautiful, even if she'd never believe me. I smiled slightly as I walked towards the bed and lay down next to her. Almost as if by instinct, she shuffled towards me and placed her cheek on my chest. Her warmth was irresistible, as well as her scent. I inhaled deeply, enjoying her floral smell and relishing in the slight burn it caused in my throat. Saying it was easy to resist her blood wouldn't be the appropriate way to put it. Her blood still tempted me every day, but my love for her would make it impossible for me to ever hurt her. Even so, I still enjoyed her scent and would be able to recognize it anywhere.

"Edward" She mumbled and I thought she was speaking in her sleep again until I saw the deep brown of her eyes.  
>"Good morning." I smiled and she responded with her brilliant smile.<br>"What time is it?"  
>"You can still sleep for a bit if you'd like. I'll wake you."<br>"No, that's ok. I'm not tired."  
>"For once." I muttered and she playfully slapped me.<br>"Will you ever stop abusing me?" I asked in mock hurt.  
>"You're indestructible." She replied shrugging as she sat up. She stretched and as she did, she winced slightly. I didn't ask, I knew she could be sore from her old injuries and it annoyed her if I constantly worried.<p>

"Edward?" She asked in that pleading voice and I knew she wanted something.  
>"What now?"<br>"You know, the human is really in the mood for some blueberry pancakes…" She called out unnecessarily loudly.  
>"I'm on it!" Emmett shouted from downstairs and she giggled.<br>"You do realize our kitchen will never recover from this?"  
>"It survived the cookies."<br>"Barely."  
>"He'll do fine." I rolled my eyes. She knew this would end in a disaster but she enjoyed it.<br>"Alice?" She called at a normal level this time. Alice appeared in the doorway.  
>"Nope, nothing interesting happening in school today and yes, you will actually have to attend gym. It's badminton- no more getting out of it." Bella pouted.<br>"I'm sure you guys could excuse me somehow?" She pleaded and I chuckled.  
>"Not going to work."<br>"Fine then. But I'm going to injure myself in some way and you will have to carry the full guilt of that fact." She said ominously.  
>"The worst you could do is hit yourself in the head with the racket."<br>"Knowing her, it will happen." Alice smiled.  
>"I'm going to embarrass myself." Bella complained.<br>"Wouldn't be the first time." Suddenly there came a loud crash from downstairs.

"What _are_ you doing?" Jasper yelled in exasperation.  
>"I was trying to experiment…"<br>"How many times do I have to tell you? Your experiments in the kitchen never end well!" Jasper's thoughts were screaming at Emmett's stupidity and Emmett just seemed utterly disappointed.  
>"Looks like Bella won't get her pancakes." Alice smiled innocently.<br>"What did he destroy this time?" I asked her.  
>"He tried putting the pan in the microwave." She added gleefully and Bella started laughing.<br>"And you saw this happening."  
>"Of course."<br>"Esme will kill you one day." I said amused and Alice simply skipped out of the room merrily.  
>"Come on, out. Time for me to get ready." Bella stood up slowly and walked towards the bathroom. I caught up and held her to me as I kissed her forehead.<br>"See you downstairs." I breathed and her eyes glazed over momentarily before looking at me accusingly.  
>"Stop doing that."<br>"Never." I chuckled before leaving her.

We were soon all in the car on our way to school after having left a simmering Esme staring at the kitchen. She was rather fond of her last design. Well at least a new kitchen would give her something to do. We'd just have to order something for Bella tonight. Emmett should never be allowed in the kitchen again. Jasper was sitting in the front, still angered with slightly singed hair. We pulled into the school parking lot, still attracting a few looks. Why they never got over our entrance, I won't understand. We all got out and as usual I claimed Bella's hand. Some boys did still occasionally show too much interest in their thoughts. Most human minds are pointless and uninteresting. They have routines and feel uncomfortable straying away from what they know. They were predictable, such as today's expected excitement. Posters advertising our prom were plastered all over the school grounds. As we walked past a few, Bella stopped and looked at one.  
>" 'Theme, 007' wow, how original." She sighed. The element of mystery always kept me curious about what went on in her mind, but unlike the other humans I knew, she really was unpredictable.<br>"I think it will be fun." Alice chirped in.  
>"No, oh no. There is no way we're going to that." Bella complained and I could already see Alice going through costume ideas for herself, Rose and Bella. Bella groaned seeing the expression on her Alice's face.<br>"Will you protect me?" She asked in a stage whisper.  
>"What's in it for me?"<br>"My love?"  
>"No thanks."<br>"Edward!" I gave her a quick peck on the cheek before letting go and walking in a different direction.  
>"See you in biology." I called out and only smiled at her outraged face once she couldn't see my face.<br>"Fine, reject my love then leave. Be that way!" She said dramatically but not loud enough to attract attention as she knew I would hear her anyway.

As Bella and Jasper headed over to their first class, I went to French with Alice while Rose and Emmett decided to miss their history lesson. Didn't really matter as they knew the subject by heart. Even so, Alice and I usually liked to keep up the appearance. Lesson was boring as usual. The teacher knew I was better than him and never asked me a question. Lessons with Alice were always quite entertaining and it was easy to have conversations as I heard her thoughts and she could see what I was about to say. If we wanted to, we could have spoken at a level inaudible to humans, but it was more interesting to use our talents. Alice's mind was a fascinating place to be in. She had a very positive view on life and her thoughts were as erratic as her actions.

They day went by quickly, biology came and went as usual, Bella answering every question perfectly yet the teacher always picked on her. We finally picked up our lunch and joined the rest of the family at our table. Nobody ever tried to sit with is, it was kind of amusing.  
>"How was class children?" Emmett sang and Rose smacked the back of his head.<br>"Stop hitting me woman."  
>"Stop being irritating."<br>"I tell you, so much violence in this house."  
>"Well us women need to keep you in line." Alice smiled wickedly and Jasper genuinely looked quite worried. Bella was listening to the conversation with a small smile gracing her lips as she munched mindlessly on a piece of lettuce. Even though our family is odd at the very least, it's amazing how easily we fit together.<p>

I paid close attention to Bella's gym lesson. It was the best entertainment available and definitely better than my math lesson. She did actually hit herself in the head with the racket, which amused me after I made sure she wasn't in any pain. She looked so surprised and her beautiful blush covered her cheeks as it always does. She stumbled backwards slightly and just stayed at the back of the court for the rest of the game, letting Angela try to lunge frantically even though she was hardly the athletic herself. They were against Lauren and Jessica who were being unnecessarily cruel with their shots. Well, the hatred for Bella had become worse in a way because now instead of just wanting sadistic pleasure, they wanted her life, they were jealous. However they didn't dare cause any trouble, they were too scared which suited me just fine. It was difficult for me to have to act normally around them knowing the pain they had caused, but there was nothing to do about it. I tolerated them.

I met Bella outside the locker rooms and she smiled as soon as she saw me and walked to my side.  
>"How was gym?"<br>"Like you don't know."  
>"Angela did pretty well."<br>"Thanks." We started walking to the car and Bella seemed to be deep in thought, which infuriated me as usual. We walked in silence.  
>"Ok, tell me. What's on your mind?" I asked giving up.<br>"Just thinking."  
>"Naturally. About?"<br>"Carlisle's patient." I tried to keep all emotion out of my face.  
>"Really?"<br>"Yes, I'm wondering what it could be that it makes the whole family try to cover it up." I sighed.  
>"Nothing of importance."<br>"You always say that."

"Do you trust me?"  
>"Of course."<br>"Then trust me when I say that it isn't important." She looked at me evenly for a few seconds then nodded.  
>"Ok, I'll drop it for now."<br>"Thank you." I smiled and kissed her quickly on the lips.

We drove home happily, everybody picking on Emmett as usual. The evening was just average. Homework, television, dinner- for Bella at least, then she went to bed. Seems odd but an average life and evening was exactly what I wanted right now with Bella. Might seem boring to others, but we've definitely had enough excitement if you can even call it that. Things as they are now, are exactly how I want them.

"Edward, The Volturi are coming. They know about Bella."

That lasted long.


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much to everyone who had read my story and chose it as favorite or signed up for story alerts! A special thanks to my first reviewer, mylovewilllast. Thank you, it made my day! Hope you guys keep enjoying the story!**

Chapter 3:

Bella POV

I woke up to a warm bed, which might seem nice, but it's unusual. Where was Edward? I opened my eyes slowly and couldn't help the tiny feeling of disappointment. It's not like he always slept with me, but it was nice to be his arms when I woke up. I pulled myself out of bed slowly and walked to the bathroom. I looked at my reflection. My hair was a mess and I had dark circles under my eyes. I don't know why, I get plenty of sleep, but those circles are permanently painted on my face. I readjusted my hair so it didn't look as bad and splashed some water on my face in a poor attempt to wake me up.

As I was getting dressed I noticed something else that was unusual, the house was quiet. Once I wake up, my siblings don't usually make any effort to be silent. Between Emmett and Jasper bickering or Alice and Rosalie arguing over the current fashion, it was always quite noisy. Not that I minded, the sound was comforting. The silence sent a chill down my body but I quickly pulled myself together and walked downstairs. It was stupid for me to panic so easily.

I entered the kitchen and relaxed immediately. Edward smiled as he saw me.  
>"Cereal?"<br>"And here I was expecting eggs and bacon."  
>"Well you could have, if the kitchen wasn't destroyed yesterday."<br>"Cereal will do."  
>"Yeah, I thought so."<br>"So where is everybody?"  
>"Emmett and Alice should be back soon, they went hunting a few hours ago. The rest of the family just left."<br>"Why at different times?" He shrugged and I just moved on. They often went hunting separately.  
>"Ready for school?"<br>"Yup." I jumped off the stool and headed for the front door knowing that Edward would somehow already be waiting in his car by the time I locked up the house.  
>"As we've left on time for once, could you please keep the crazy driving to a minimum?"<br>"I'm insulted."  
>"You should be. Your driving is terrible."<br>"Fine then, how about you drive today?"  
>"You'd let me drive your car?" He sat in silence for a few seconds.<br>"No, it can only end badly."  
>"Very wise." I closed my eyes and leant back into the seat as Edward sped off. I never dared look to see at what speed we were travelling.<p>

As we arrived at school I realized something that worried me.  
>"The others aren't coming into school." I stated quietly.<br>"No, not until lunch. Everything ok?" I nodded quickly, trying to forget about it.  
>"I'll have to go to class alone. No big deal." As much as I had adapted back to school, I had never been alone, but I guess it's good for me.<br>"I'll pay attention, I can be with you within seconds if you need me." Edward looked concerned and I forced a smile.  
>"Don't baby me, I'll be fine."<br>"You've told me that before." He frowned. I leant up and kissed his cheek.  
>"I'll see you in Biology." He sighed but pulled me close into his stone cold embrace.<br>"I love you."  
>"I love you too."<p>

Lessons were reasonably ok. I sat on my own, or next to Angela when possible. Jessica sniggered at me as I walked out of Spanish and I swear I heard her whisper something about how my bodyguards were no longer present. I brushed it off.  
>"So, how have you been Bella?" Angela asked timidly and I gave her a small smile in response.<br>"I've been ok. Much better."  
>"I'm glad." She seemed to want to say more but held back. Finally she took a deep breath and added, "You know, if you ever want to talk to me, about anything, I'm always here to listen. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you before, but I won't make that mistake again." I gave her a quick hug, not knowing what else to do.<br>"Thank you." I didn't need to say anything else. We were both the awkward type and we didn't need many words to communicate. Angela and I walked to Biology together where she then took her seat next to her boyfriend Ben.  
>"I like Angela." Edward said as I approached our table.<br>"Listening in, obviously."  
>"You should expect it by now."<br>"Doesn't make it any less creepy." He laughed quietly but even so the class was called to attention and another day of pointless biology began.

I couldn't help but smile as I walked into the cafeteria and saw Emmett sitting with Alice, Emmett was waving at me like a fool but he didn't seem to mind the stares that everybody was giving him. I walked over cheerfully seeing that they had already picked up some food and I could just steal some of theirs. Alice looked at me excitedly.  
>"Guess what?" She asked.<br>"What?"  
>"We're going on holiday!" Well that was a surprise but I guess it could be nice.<br>"When?"  
>"Tomorrow." That startled me and I could see Edward watching me warily.<br>"Tomorrow?" I asked incredulously.  
>"Oh don't worry. I've already packed for you. It's going to be so much fun!" She squealed but I frowned.<br>"I have to go to school."  
>"You're ahead in most classes anyway. Won't be for too long. A week or two." I looked accusingly at Edward.<br>"What's going on?"  
>"Noth-"<br>"Don't you dare." I was fed up of the secrecy and was pretty sure that I had been lenient during the past few days, but I wanted answers. They were always honest.  
>"Let's go home." He sighed. "I'll explain then." I stood up stiffly and headed over to the car. Edward shouldn't lie to me. I don't care what it's about.<p>

Emmett sat in the drivers seat and I sat in front so that Edward couldn't sit next to me. I didn't care if I was overreacting, I wasn't in the mood. Edward looked at me sadly as he climbed into the backseat with Alice. The drive home was silent and tense. I wasn't completely surprised to see that the whole family was back from hunting, but I was disappointed. They were all hiding something from me. I walked into the living room and leaned against the wall, not wanting to make myself comfortable. I also refused to go to the dining room. I hated the formal feel of that area. I knew the Cullens sat there to discuss important issues and I wanted them to realize that this conversation was going to go my way.

"Why the holiday?" I asked. I had plenty of other questions swimming around in my head, but this was the only one that came out.  
>"We want to get you out of town for a few days." Esme said pleadingly. And I didn't even have to ask why.<br>"Vampires are coming into town." Carlisle added.  
>"That's happened before." I objected.<br>"Yeah, and we shipped you out of town." Jasper said with a small smile. I pouted, I didn't care if I was being childish.  
>"I'm not as fragile as you think. And much more perceptive. I can handle whatever you have to say."<br>"I didn't want to tell you." Edward admitted and I looked at him sadly.  
>"You need to stop protecting me."<br>"You don't understand how much protection you need."  
>"What else?" I asked Carlisle turning away from Edward.<br>"Bella, these vampires aren't just nomads. They're coming purposefully to visit us. To visit you."  
>"Me?" Now that did surprise me and my defensive stance relaxed slightly.<br>"They're called the Volturi. They are what you could call vampire royalty."  
>"And they're coming here?" I asked incredulously.<br>"Not exactly. In a way you could call them representatives."  
>"Why do they want to see me?" Carlisle looked uncomfortable and I turned to Jasper knowing that if someone would be honest without trying to spare my feelings, it would be him.<br>"We don't know." He said and I let out a small laugh. They looked at me as if I were insane.  
>"Bella, I don't think you understand," Edward began impatiently but I dismissed him.<br>"You spend so much time worrying about protecting me that I think you've become paranoid."  
>"You don't joke about the Volturi."<br>"I'm not joking. They're coming to see me. That's normal isn't it? I doubt that any other vampires have adopted a human."  
>"Yes, precisely." Emmett chuckled.<br>"The Volturi is also in charge of maintaining certain rules. They-"  
>"Vampires have rules?" I asked curiously as I moved to sit down on the couch. I did blush as I realized I might have overreacted…maybe.<br>"Yes, such as keeping our identity a secret." My heart dropped finally grasping what they meant.  
>"And I've broken the rule." I whispered. "What will they do?"<br>"We don't know. I can't see." Alice said defeated.  
>"Well," I tried to fill my voice with enthusiasm, "a little vacation can be fun." Emmett let out a loud laugh and came over to riffle my hair.<br>"You're weird, even for a human." I stuck my tongue out at him and stood up.

"I don't appreciate the lies. I know you meant well, just please don't do it again." I headed upstairs. I sat on my bed in silence. The conversation that took place seemed odd for some reason. Disorganized and just confusing. It seemed to vary between serious and lighthearted. I didn't exactly get much information. A bunch of vampire royalty was coming to see me. This obviously scared the Cullens more than it scared me. But even then, I just didn't know. I flopped back onto the bed ungracefully and exhaled loudly as I threw my arm over my face. I heard a quiet knock on the door. Great.

"Come in." I left my arm where it was, I knew who it was and didn't feel the urge to look at him. I heard the door close quietly and then felt the bed sink near me a few moments later. Neither one of us said anything, and I wasn't about to break the silence first. Unfortunately, I was being stubborn with a hundred year old vampire and I knew that somehow my patience wouldn't hold.  
>"Why are you here?" I snapped.<br>"Do you want me to go?" That only irritated me more.  
>"No, and you know I don't. Why did you come here if you're not going to say anything?" Yes, I had an extremely thoughtful boyfriend, doesn't mean that we can't occasionally have our fights.<br>"I'm sorry, Bella." For some reason, I didn't want him to just apologize. I was angry. Can't he put up a fight? Can't he just do something other than back down? I finally pulled my arm back and sat up.  
>"Why did you lie? You must have known you couldn't really hide it from me."<br>"I know, I just wanted to delay it."  
>"Why? You wanted to protect me? You need to stop doing that."<br>"I can't" He looked at me sadly. "You don't understand, Bella. I know I can be overbearing, but you would be too if you were in my position." I wanted to argue but I knew he was probably right. Besides, now that I was actually looking at him, it was difficult to do anything other than stare. I sighed in defeat and scooted towards him. As soon as he saw that my anger spell had passed he had his arms around me and we lent back on the pillows.  
>"I'm sorry." I said after a few peaceful minutes.<br>"It's ok, you can't help it. You're a hormonal teenager." I shot him a quick glare but rapidly conceded. It was hard to argue with fact. Still, low blow. He saw my expression and laughed.  
>"You show a lot of emotion in your facial expressions. How many different feelings do you have for one thought process?" He chuckled.<br>"Ask Jasper, I'm sure he knows."  
>"Ranges between three and seven." He called from downstairs.<br>"Oh just go hunting." I called back annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.  
>"Mainly two this time."<br>"Thank you Jasper." Edward smiled.

"So what's going to happen now? I mean, Volturi wise."  
>"Alice sees them intercepting us whenever she decides on a new location. We're trying to figure it out now." He tried to hide it but I could see the underlying tension. He had not anticipated this.<br>"Is it really that bad?" I asked timidly and he hesitated.  
>"They aren't usually lenient when it comes to this particular rule. However they respect Carlisle. We just simply don't know and would rather be safe than sorry." I didn't really respond as I thought about that.<br>"Are you ok?"  
>"Yes. I'm just wondering, why now?"<br>"What do you mean?"  
>"I've been living with you for several months and they haven't seemed interested. How did they find out and if they knew before, why are they suddenly taking action?" He looked at me with surprise.<br>"That's a good question."  
>"Yes, that does happen from time to time." I added sarcastically.<br>"Just don't worry about it for now. I'll let you know if something changes."  
>"Promise?"<p>

"Yes." And I believed him. He wouldn't lie to me about this again. Esme walked into the room slowly.

"Bella?" I looked at her guiltily, Esme was the kindest person and I shouldn't have pushed her away as I did. Edward sat up and gave me a quick kiss before smiling and leaving the room.  
>"Can I sit down?" She said gesturing to the bed and I rolled my eyes whilst smiling.<br>"It's fine Esme. I'm sorry for overreacting." She returned my smile and sat next to me.  
>"You know we just don't want to worry you, right?"<br>"Of course, but sometimes you need to worry less."  
>"I guess we could." She laughed. "Is it ok if I order Chinese for tonight?"<br>"Yeah, perfect. Thank you." We sat next to each other awkwardly for a few seconds. "Uh, what's the family doing? Do you think they'd be up for a movie?" Suddenly Emmett was at my door.  
>"Which movie?" He asked excitedly and I couldn't help but laugh.<br>"I don't mind." And then Rose was by Emmett's side.  
>"Oh please don't let him choose again. You don't want another 'Shoot 'Em Up' situation." Rose did have a point there. That was an awful movie.<br>"Rose, I'm giving you the power. What are we watching?" I smiled.  
>"A Knight's Tale." She decided immediately and Alice was next to appear in my room.<br>"Heath Ledger, good choice." I stood up and pushed past my siblings, sometimes they seemed to think that my room was the living room. I was going to remind them by relocating to the actual living room. However, I obviously wasn't moving quickly enough as the next thing I knew, I was being tackled and then gently sat down on the couch.  
>"Thanks Jasper." I said slightly out of breath. We all crowded around the TV which was basically the size of the wall. I snuggled closer to Edward and enjoyed the movie. Halfway through, dinner arrived and Rose left to take care of it, bringing me the food on a plate. I was way too spoilt and I knew it, but I didn't complain. We spent the evening together just how we used to, the previous stress of the day completely forgotten.<p>

We were just reaching the moment where Heath Ledger was about to win the tournament when Alice stiffened and Edward snapped his head in her direction. She gasped and Edward's grip tightened around me.

"They're here."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Alice POV

One second I was watching the movie, the next I was watching something entirely different. I had the perspective all wrong. The Volturi were near and they were heading our way. We had to think quickly. Carlisle looked at me.  
>"How much time?"<br>"A couple of minutes if we're lucky."  
>"That's not enough time to get her out." Jasper said quietly.<br>"We can still protect her." Emmett was confident that this was going to turn into a fight but we had to make sure it didn't. It would be unwise to set them against us. Carlisle deliberated.  
>"Rose, take Bella upstairs. Stay there unless they purposefully call to see her. Pack her bag. Jasper, Edward, you two come with me to intercept them. Emmett, stay here with Alice and Esme." The conversation only took a few seconds and Bella just looked scared as it was impossible that she could have kept up with the speed of our conversation. The last thing she heard was probably the news of their arrival. Rose walked up to her and picked her off before rushing upstairs. She would explain everything.<p>

"Edward, whatever they want, it can't be good."  
>"I know." He growled, pushing past me, as followed Carlisle out the front door. Jasper kissed me and assured me they would be fine before heading off. I turned to see a fuming Emmett and a worried Esme.<br>"Why does is always happen to Bella?" She sighed and I just looked down. Truth was, this was our fault, it wasn't just bad luck this time.  
>"Stop worrying, we have this covered. We promised we wouldn't let anything else happen to her and we intend to keep that promise."<br>"They should have met by now." I said quietly and Esme looked at me pleadingly. My vision suddenly shifted and I saw Carlisle's grim face.

"_Well then, follow me." His voice was tight. Jasper and Edward hung back, running behind, closing up the group. There were three hooded figures and it was easy to recognize them. Felix with his height and the two small figures had to be Jane and Alec._

"They'll be here any second."  
>"Bring it on."<br>"Emmett, Jane is with them." He recoiled from the memory and I knew how he felt. Jane was definitely a bad sign. The Volturi wanted to do more than talk.  
>"Esme, maybe you should stay with Rose and Bella?" I suggested not wanting to insult her but she nodded curtly and flashed out of sight. I could hear Bella murmuring nervously upstairs but I couldn't concentrate on her words. I could now hear Carlisle and the group, Emmett tensed. Carlisle, Edward and Jasper came straight to our side of the room. I was right to assume it was Felix, Alec and Jane. They stood in a semi circle facing us.<p>

Jane was the first to speak.  
>"Well this is cute." She said as her eyes swept across the house.<br>"You're here now, what do you want?" Edward growled. Jane kept the smile frozen on her face as she made herself at home and sat on the couch.  
>"No need to be so aggressive Edward. I'm simply following orders. I take no pleasure in this."<br>"Of course not." He said sarcastically but Carlisle placed a calming hand on his shoulder. As much as I hated it, Jane was in charge at the moment, but I wasn't going to be put off by her behavior. I grabbed Jasper's hand and pulled him over to the couch opposite to Jane's.  
>"So, what are your orders then?" I asked pleasantly.<br>"Oh Alice. You were always the civilized one. I do like you."  
>"I wish I could say the same." Felix hissed at me but I didn't change my expression in the slightest.<br>"Be polite Felix." Jane murmured.  
>"Yes, Felix, make sure to listen to her." Emmett mocked and the hiss turned into a full on growl.<p>

"Enough of this." Edward snapped.  
>"You're quite right, let's cut right to the chase." Jane leant forward and rested her arm on her knee. "So, I assume it's Bella upstairs? She seems frightened. Her heart is beating like a drum." Edward looked pained and I knew he wanted to be the one comforting Bella upstairs, he would even grab her and run if he didn't know that it would most certainly lead to her death.<br>"She has a very floral scent." Jane added.  
>"Simply mouth watering." Felix said longingly and I was the first to growl.<br>"Oh Alice, you know Felix means nothing by it. At least not now. Look at our eyes. We fed just outside Seattle."  
>"Mhm, although this would make a nice dessert."<br>"Stop teasing them Felix, they look worried enough. It's fascinating really. Who would have guessed they would be so worked up over a human? The Cullens are more…different than we thought."  
>"Jane, you're beginning to sound like Aro. Always so intrigued." Felix muttered.<br>"I'm sure he's be very proud." Emmett cut in impatiently, no longer able to stand their casual conversation. Jane acted as if she'd only just recalled our presence.  
>"I'm sorry, we've strayed off topic. Anyway,"<br>"We want to meet her." I hadn't noticed but this was the first thing Alec said as he stood behind Jane and placed his hands on her shoulders. His smile was simply sadistic.

"No." Edward stated firmly, unintentionally taking a defensive position.  
>"You don't have a choice here." Alec said smoothly but menacingly. Jasper squeezed my hand in warning, looking quickly towards Edward. I wanted to say something but it was too late.<br>"You aren't getting near her." He growled before pouncing on Felix. He shouted at Rose to get Bella out of the house. Emmett took this as his cue and helped Edward with Felix who was already fighting fiercely back. Jasper didn't want to fight but didn't show his reluctance as he went straight for Alec. It didn't matter how it happened, the whole family sprung into action as we fought the battle we never intended to start. I vaguely heard Rose and Esme breaking the upstairs window mingling with Bella's screams and pleas to stop, but I was face to face with Jane. Her small hands clasped around my throat until suddenly, they loosened but I felt much worse pain.

White. Blinding white. Pain exploded all around me and I was no longer aware of my surroundings. I screamed, not able to withhold the pain within me. Jasper immediately dropped his fight with Alec and he lunged towards Jane, fury powering his actions. Alec pulled him back though as they wrestled. Jasper was winning and was about to reach me when Jane expanded the range of her power and it hit Jasper too. He fell to his knees and I cried out to him. The pain was unbearable, I couldn't think. The pressure on my mind suddenly vanished and I found myself on the floor not far from Jasper. He scrambled to my side and held me, waiting for me to recover while he himself was still suffering. He looked up, confused as to why the pain had suddenly abated and the reason was clear. Jane was gone. She was running after Bella.

Edward roared in outrage and extracted himself from Felix's grasp and ran straight after Jane, not caring that she could incapacitate him within seconds. I pulled myself up and set after him. I had to do something. This couldn't be happening. Emmett was still fighting Felix off while Carlisle tried to keep Alec away from us.

"Go!" He shouted. I knew he wouldn't be able to hold him back long but I couldn't seem to move. I was horrified. Jasper grasped my arm and pulled sharply, snapping me out of my daze. We ran as quickly as we could, pushing our bodies faster. I heard a shrill scream and only quickened my pace. Rose had hit the ground and was writhing on the floor having being objected to Jane's powerful weapon. Esme was carrying Bella and ran further, a terrified look on her face while Bella just seemed frozen on her back with tears streaming down her face. I was aware of both Alec and Felix now catching up with us, Carlisle and Emmett close behind them. I didn't think, I just ran.

Jane caught up with Esme and it was as if Esme had tripped in midair. She crashed to the floor, screaming in agony and sending Bella flying at the same time. Edward was almost there, he was going to make it. He would save her. But he never caught up as Felix overtook Jasper and I, and tackled Edward to the ground. Jane had reached Bella who was unconscious after having hit her head when she landed. I looked at her crumpled form in despair. Not again. Not Bella. Jane leant in, it appeared to be in slow motion, I didn't understand. She placed her lips at Bella's neck.  
>"Nobody runs from me." And she bit down. My vision swam.<p>

"We want to meet her." Alec said, standing behind Jane and placing his hand on her shoulders with a sadistic smile on his face. I swayed disorientated. Edward looked as if someone had stabbed him in the chest.  
>"Yes." I gasped in shock. My vision. It was only a vision. "Rose, please come down." I added in a hurry. Jasper looked at me in concern. He didn't see, he couldn't understand. I'd lost my sister all over again. Edward's face was ashen.<p>

Esme was the first to come downstairs and she walked straight to Carlisle's side. He wrapped a comforting arm around her. Rose followed with Bella walking timidly behind. Rose concealed Bella from view as she went to stand between Emmett and Edward. She was shaking and I could see that Edward longed to hold her, but now was not the moment. It would only make things worse. They couldn't know that on top of being part of the family, she was also Edward's soul mate.  
>"Isabella Swan, Barker, Cullen. You've had quiet a life for one so young." Jane said with intrigue, eyeing Bella up. Bella was caught in Jane's gaze and couldn't break away. Her eyes grew wide and terrified. Rose hissed at Jane which made her tilt her head towards her.<br>"Interesting." She purred.  
>"There, now you've seen her. The purpose of your visit?" Carlisle asked in a tight voice.<br>"Yes, of course." Alec said, now taking charge of the situation while Jane resumed her staring but Bella hid her face against Edward. Jane's expression twitched to one of surprise but she said nothing.  
>"The Volturi have been informed of this… situation. However, our source was doubtful and we had to come and check for ourselves. You must know by now, we do not make mistakes. Now that we've confirmed that you have indeed taken a human into your home for other reasons than to feed, I'm afraid we must take action." There was a lot to absorb, but I knew I wasn't the one to speak. I looked to Carlisle.<br>"You don't have the authority to do any-"  
>"Oh but that's where you're wrong." Felix chuckled. "Aro sent us. We have already discussed what needs to happen here." Edward held his breath and I knew he had seen what they intended to do. Probably the same thing that I had seen in my vision.<br>"We're giving you a choice, which is more than you deserve so I would act wisely." Alec continued. "You know that humans can not be aware of our existence and Isabella obviously knows too much. You're choice is simple. You change her,"  
>"Or we kill her." Jane finished giving us a brilliant smile.<p>

Emmett lunged but Jane was prepared and immediately had him on the ground. Rose snarled in outrage but Felix was already restraining her. The others held back, knowing fighting would be pointless. Especially with Bella still here. We watched with pained expressions as Emmett struggled.  
>"Stop, please stop!" Rose cried out and Bella involuntarily stepped forward in tears.<br>"Please don't, please." She begged but Edward pulled her back.  
>"Please." She kept murmuring holding her head in her hands. Jane released Emmett and Felix stepped back, letting Rosalie rush forwards and help Emmett up. We couldn't help it. Our partners were our biggest weakness. It was a fundamental flaw in our characters. Bella couldn't stop shaking and murmuring to herself. Edward tried to calm her.<br>"Please." She muttered, "Please."  
>"Bella, Bella, shh. It's over, he's okay." Edward soothed quietly but Bella didn't take it in. Emmett enveloped Bella in his large arms.<br>"I'm fine, don't worry about me." He said weakly and Bella stopped talking but sobbed silently, her frame shaking violently. We had to get her out of here, the stress was becoming too much. She extracted herself from Emmett's arms and returned to Edward's side. Having composed herself, but her cheeks were still wet.  
>"Well now that you've seen violence won't get you anywhere, I hope we can discuss this calmly." Alec said, not bothered by what had just occurred.<br>"We understand that this might not be the easiest decision."  
>"Easiest?" Jasper growled in outrage.<br>"Although, I have to admit it seems pretty straight forward to me." Felix added nonchalantly.  
>"Either way, we'll give you a week." A spark of hope ignited in my chest.<br>"Don't get any bright ideas. We are now aware of this situation and we'll be keeping a close eye on you. If you try to run, we will hunt you down." There was no doubting that Alec meant what he was saying. And we all knew that they would find us, there was no avoiding it. We sat in silence. Neither of us knowing what to do.  
>"Well, that seems to have been rather clear. Don't you think Felix?"<br>"Oh yes, they have definitely heeded our warning." He laughed looking at all our frozen expressions. Jane stood up gracefully and straightened the skirt of her dress.  
>"Perfect."<br>"We'll be seeing you shortly. Goodbye." I felt the rush of the wind on my face as the speed of their departure disrupted the air.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Bella POV

The family was completely silent but I could no longer stand it. Sobs ripped through my chest. I just couldn't help it. The shock of everything that had happened just kept me crying. I was horrified at what I had seen happened to Emmett. I didn't even know what _had_ actually happened. That Jane just stared at him and he crumbled. I have never seen a vampire in pain, and for it to be Emmett- strong, happy, brave Emmett- it was just terrifying. However, I wasn't scared anymore. I just couldn't stop crying.  
>"I'm so sorry, I never wanted to put you in danger, I'm sorry." I mumbled as Edward steered me over to the couch.<br>"Bella, please stop. Don't be ridiculous. We wouldn't have done it any other way. You're part of our family." Carlisle said.  
>"Bella, everybody is ok." Jasper insisted forcing waves of calm over me until eventually I calmed my breathing and sunk back into the couch, resting my head on Edward.<br>"I'm sorry, I'm fine." I whispered. "This isn't real." I laughed half-heartedly. How could I possibly attract so much trouble? I just kept laughing at a sudden realization though. The Volturi coming along was a good thing.  
>"Bella?"<br>"Oh don't look at me like that." I said defensively as I saw their wary glances. "I'm not insane."  
>"Why are you laughing?" Edward asked with a weak smile because no matter how bad things were, at least I wasn't crying anymore.<br>"Well, I guess this is a good thing." They all stared at me.  
>"I'm becoming a vampire." The silence that followed was full of tension and the smile was wiped off my face.<br>"You're, you're not changing me?" I asked weakly, tears starting to form again. "B-but, what? What's going to happen? You still? I'm?" I kept mumbling but Edward tried to hold me. I had never considered that this would be a difficult choice. How could they possibly still be so determined to keep me human? When it would put all of them at risk!  
>"N-no, no!" I pulled away from Edward. "Is the idea of me being a vampire really that repulsive to you?" I shouted at him and he looked heartbroken. I couldn't calm my anger. I was heartbroken too. I had a right to be, I wasn't overreacting this time. He didn't love me. He didn't want me forever. He didn't want me as a vampire.<br>"Bella, of course not, you know. I've told you, your soul-"  
>"Oh don't you dare go on about that anymore! So you'd rather me dead than for me to lose my soul?"<br>"Bella," Edward tried reaching out for me again.  
>"Don't touch me." I snapped and that shocked Edward into immobility. I had never pulled away from him so entirely. The rest of the family had been standing in silence, not wanting to interfere. I knew that none of them would ever change me behind Edward's back even if they agreed that I should be part of the family. They understood and respected his decision. Why couldn't they respect mine? Esme couldn't handle the stress anymore and interfered.<p>

"Bella, please calm down." She urged.  
>"You don't have to worry Bella. You're going to be ok. We're going to get you out of here. You'll be safe." I knew better than to argue with Carlisle. I still opened my mouth to speak but snapped it shut. There was nothing I could say or do. They were vampires. I was a frail, little human. Rage engulfed me. I used that anger to put up a mask. My family has always been overprotective and they did have reason to be. This was an extreme of how controlling they could be. I feel part of the family, I'm happy. But ultimately, I don't have a choice in anything. I'm only human. I ignored Edward as I walked upstairs to my room and picked up the bag that Rose had packed for me. I didn't have a choice in that either. They had spoken so fast I didn't hear a word and then was just hid upstairs, letting me sit there in fear. I returned downstairs with my bag and dropped it on the floor.<br>"Ready." I said glumly. "So when are you shipping me off?" My voice was dead.  
>"Please Bella, don't." Rose said pained.<br>"It won't work. They'll find me."  
>"No, they won't. I promise you Bella, you'll be safe." I wasn't really concerned about <em>my<em> safety.  
>"You're putting yourself in danger."<br>"Don't even think about us. We're strong as long as we're together." I nodded slightly but wasn't showing much emotion.  
>"We won't leave until tomorrow." Alice stated confidently and the rest of the family accepted her decision. They trusted her. She might be tiny, but she was powerful. I was nothing.<br>"Come on Bella, I think you should get some sleep" I followed Alice wordlessly as we went up to my room.  
>"Bella, please talk to me." I wasn't in the mood for this.<br>"I'm fine Alice."  
>"Don't do that Bella. You haven't shut me out for six months, don't start now." I sighed and climbed into my bed.<br>"The Volturi. They're never going to stop looking."

"I know."  
>"Are you going to hide me until I die?" She flinched. They never thought of the end of my human lifespan, but I wasn't going to go easy on this. If they were determined to keep me mortal, then they should stop acting like my death would affect them. I would kill myself anyway before I could ever reach the stage of being an old lady with a family that never ages. If I even survived to old age, which didn't seem likely with the Volturi.<br>"Yes, if necessary." She whispered finally. I nodded.  
>"It won't work." I repeated, but before she could reply I carried on. "I would like to sleep now. Tell Edward I'll be fine alone tonight." I knew they were all downstairs listening, so I didn't want to be honest to Alice and I didn't want to speak directly to Edward. I turned over in my bed, my back facing Alice. I waited a couple of seconds before turning around just to check but she had left. I was alone.<p>

I felt a bit bad for hurting Alice. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't any of their faults really. I was struggling. The violence today had sent me back to a time a never wanted to remember. Then Emmett's pain. The realization that I was still human and will always be. It was too much for a day, let alone a couple of hours. On top of all the stress, it felt as if my heart had been torn out. Edward. I had hurt Edward. He would leave me tonight. I know I asked him to stay away but even so, the thing that started my tears again was that what I longed for were Edward's arms. I wanted to feel safe, cared for, I wanted to feel whole again.

I cried quietly, knowing that this would be my last chance to be vulnerable. I won't make this harder for them than it has to be. I will be strong. Whatever happened next, I won't let anything happen to my family. They had already given up enough for me. I'd make sure they'd stay happy. I let a few more tears roll down my cheeks before taking a deep breath and burying my head in my pillow.

Tomorrow was going to be interesting.

Edward POV

I listened to Bella's breathing even out as she fell asleep and let out a small sigh of relief. Hopefully sleep will be able to keep away some of her pains. I heard her crying shortly after Alice left her room. My instinct was to comfort her, but I followed her wishes and stayed away.

I groaned as I pinched the bridge of my nose. This couldn't be happening. The others were frantically trying to plan our next steps to get Bella to safety. I couldn't focus. I was too busy replaying the words Bella had told me. How she could assume that I'd rather her dead is beyond my understanding. The thought alone causes me pain.  
>"Edward!" Rose said hitting my shoulder lightly.<br>"Yes, sorry." They had been calling me for a while.  
>"We need to work on getting Bella out of here."<br>"Yes, I know. Sorry." Her face softened as she looked at me.  
>"Don't worry, Bella will come around. She knows you want to keep her safe." She said softly but didn't offer any more comfort as she turned back towards Emmett.<p>

"They'll find us wherever we take her." Esme panicked.  
>"If we're really going to try and get past Demetri, we're going to have to play mind games. He's the best tracker I know." Jasper said, his voice tight but controlled. He was used to being overwhelmed by many emotions and he has become incredibly talented at dealing with them. However, his words worried me. Jasper was very experienced when it comes to vampires and violence. If he says that Demetri is the best he's ever seen, there was definitely reason to fear. There was a short silence as we looked to Carlisle for guidance. It may have been quiet for the others, but I could hear their thoughts screaming at me. The rational solution would be to change Bella. I refused.<p>

"I will not put Bella through that. Even if there were a small chance of her becoming one of us, there is absolutely no way I would ever let in happen when she's in a position where she feels like it's the only way out." They couldn't argue against my logic, but it still left us nowhere. We didn't know what to do. I looked at Alice pleadingly.  
>"I'm sorry Edward. The future keeps changing. Everybody has so many different ideas. I'm sorry, but so far, none of these ideas have ended well." She shuddered and Jasper put his arm around her. I stared at my family in despair. There must be something we can do. What kind of protectors are we? We need to save Bella.<br>"We're going to have to split up." Alice said suddenly and I looked into her mind with hope. Yes, this could work.  
>"Bella won't like it." Rose frowned.<br>"I know." I sighed. "But it's the only thing we've got."  
>"So what's this plan then? We can't all read minds." Emmett grumbled. Alice smiled at him grimly.<br>"We're going to hide her in the last place they expect."  
>"She'll stay here." I said, smiling. Yes, this could actually work.<br>"Emmett and Jasper, you guys are going to France. Your flight is in a few hours. Once you get there, you need to go into hiding, but have to make some small careless mistakes."  
>"Careless mistakes. My specialty." Emmett chuckled trying to lift the mood. A plan was starting to form. Happy would be the wrong word, but we had a purpose. The dark mood was lifting.<br>"Carlisle and Rose,"  
>"We're going somewhere sunny, aren't we?"<br>"Sorry, Mexico."  
>"Edward, Esme and I are staying here." Emmett looked dubious.<br>"They'll check the house." He said.  
>"They won't check <em>her<em> house."  
>"She won't like that." Jasper frowned.<br>"It's the best solution. They would have smelled her scent there on the way here anyway. They would have checked it out and won't look again."  
>"It won't work."<p>

"Oh it will." Alice said happily. "It's just a precaution, I don't even see them coming to Forks. They expect us to run."  
>"This is insane." Carlisle sighed while running his hand through his hair. His thoughts kept jumping from one possibility to another. There was no other solution.<br>"So it's settled. We all set off tomorrow."  
>"No, wait." Alice stiffened and I quickly gazed into her mind. They'd be watching. It was too soon to move.<br>"We have to wait a couple of days. That's ok, the plan will still work." She nodded to herself and I started breathing again in relief, not realizing I was holding my breath.

"That's good for Bella. Gives her time to absorb everything that's happened."

"We should have mentioned the Volturi to her earlier." Rose sighed and I became defensive.  
>"There was no need to worry her."<br>"We couldn't genuinely believe that they would never find out." She argued.  
>"Somebody told them. If we had been more careful, moved away from here-"<br>"They would have found us anyway Edward."  
>"There's no point in thinking about this right now. They found out and we're dealing with it." Carlisle intervened. "We need to stop this right now. Enough." He said firmly with a hint of authority that he rarely had to use with us. "We have a couple of hours before Bella wakes up and she's going to expect an explanation. Let's use this time wisely."<br>"So, how did the Volturi find out?" Jasper mused.  
>"While we were out hunting? We all carry her scent, it would be obvious for them to pick up if they were near." Esme suggested.<br>"Alice would have seen them coming. They couldn't be directly involved. Besides, someone told them."  
>"It would be extremely dangerous for a human to go all the way to Italy and just inform them that Bella is living with vampires. The information itself is ludicrous. No person in Forks knows of our secret." That I was sure of, no minds even guessed close.<br>"Not to mention the Volturi would eat them before they had a chance to talk." Rose said grimly.  
>"Then who?" Esme sat down in exasperation. Alice looked at me suddenly and I growled.<br>"Those filthy mutts."

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, thank you for reading And if you do have time, please let me know if you'd rather me write in only Bella and Edward's POV's or the whole Cullen family. Thank you,  
>Iole01 xxx<strong> 


	7. Chapter 6

**Thank you for reading my story and for the reviews I've received!**

Chapter 6:

Bella POV

I woke up groggy, the events from yesterday not suddenly rushing back like it always does in the stories. It was more of a dull realization that clouded my senses. I was mildly surprised to discover that I was still in my room. I half expected them to have already shipped me halfway around the world in my sleep for my 'safety'.

I decided that if they weren't here to rush me off yet, then they could wait while I got ready. I slowly dragged myself out of the bed and moved to the bathroom. My face looked as empty as I felt. No surprise there. I brushed my teeth and brushed my hair. I started to pull it back to tie up in a pony tail but thought better of it and let it fall, swirling around my face and neck. I turned to my wardrobe and pulled out what was at the top. I knew I really should be making my way downstairs to find out what was going to happen, but I didn't really care. I got dressed and sat on my bed. I didn't have to wait long for the small knock on my door.

"Come in." I sighed. It was Esme. She gave me a small smile.  
>"Good Morning."<br>"Hey." Well this was awkward.  
>"Are you hungry?" I gave in. My stroppy behaviour wouldn't help anything, besides, Esme was the last person to deserve my attitude.<br>"Not really. Don't worry, I'm coming downstairs anyway." We walked down carrying on the small talk.  
>"So, cereal?"<br>"Cereal would be lovely." It was just easier to give in and eat something. Edward was sitting at the table in the kitchen. There was already a bowl laid out with my favourite cereal standing next to it. I walked up, put the cereal back in the cupboard and pulled yoghurt out of the refrigerator to prove a point. I could get my own food. Esme didn't walk into the kitchen with me, no doubt forcing me to talk to Edward. I hadn't completely finished being childish.  
>"Alice?" I called and she entered the kitchen with a sad smile almost immediately.<br>"We're going to stay here for about two days and then all separate. Jasper and Emmett, Carlisle and Rose, and the rest of us are staying here.  
>"Here?" I asked slowly.<br>"Yes, I'll explain more later."  
>"So what are we doing now?"<br>"We relax."

"Relax?" I said incredulously. "Oh yeah sure, that's likely."  
>"There's nothing else to do." She took my hand and led me out of the kitchen, leaving a confused and sad Edward behind. We walked out the front door and she hastily took me by the elbow and flung me across her back. It was quite surreal really, my feet were practically on the ground, but I knew it wasn't a struggle for her to carry me.<p>

"Close your eyes." She warned and I complied gratefully. I still wasn't used to the speed. Don't think I ever will be. I knew we were in the forest as I could feel the light flickering in front of my eyes as the sun filtered through the trees. I could also smell the damp yet comforting fresh scent. We slowed to a stop and I loosened my grip. I lost my footing as my feet hit the ground but Alice steadied me, as usual.  
>"Thanks Alice." I said looking at my feet. I sat on a rock and braced myself for what was to come. I could only imagine the disappointed speech with the calm yet piercing look. She was going to tell me to stop being so ridiculous and to talk to Edward and to grow up. Instead, I felt her sit down next to me and I stiffened.<br>"Oh Bella," She sighed and swung her arm around me. It was comforting and I leant into her side. I started crying quietly.  
>"I'm sorry." I sobbed.<br>"Oh you silly girl. Why are you crying?"  
>"I don't know." And she chuckled slightly, patting my back as I composed myself.<br>"It's normal to be scared. This isn't exactly something that happens everyday."  
>"I know. And I am scared, just also so confused."<br>"Edward?" I lifted my head and looked at her. Of course it was Edward and she knew it. My eyes welled up again.  
>"Why won't he change me?" I cried, hiding my face once again.<br>"You know as well as I do."  
>"But it makes no sense. It's that or dying. How can he not see that?"<br>"You know Edward, he's determined. He won't let either happen."  
>"He can't truly love me. He can't want me forever if he doesn't want to change me. I just don't understand. Is the idea of having to stick with me forever that bad?" Alice pushed me away slightly and caught my eye, not letting me look away.<br>"Bella, that's not true. I can't say I fully understand Edward, but I know he has his reasons." I nodded, not fully believing it but acknowledging that I just have to get used to the idea.

I could feel Alice shift slightly and I looked up to see her face. She seemed torn.  
>"Alice?" She bit her lip but then looked determined.<br>"Edward can't hear my thoughts here and he can't hear us talking."  
>"What is it?"<br>"Bella, I've had a vision."  
>"That happens every five minutes Alice." She didn't roll her eyes, which surprised me, she was actually being serious.<br>"Edward doesn't want me to tell you this. But it's only fair. You're part of the family and I think this situation is becoming ridiculous." I looked at her hopefully.  
>"This doesn't change anything in the short term." She warned.<br>"Just tell me already."  
>"I've had a vision of you becoming a vampire." My eyes widened but I was speechless. "You're part of the family and we will change you even if it's against his will."<br>"Do it now." I say, words finally tumbling from my mouth.  
>"Bella, it doesn't change anything now. We've all agreed that you won't be changed under pressure."<p>

"I'm not under pressure!" I exclaimed excitedly.  
>"Getting threatened by the Volturi would count as under pressure." I looked at her for a second and gave in.<br>"Fine, but tell me more about it."  
>"There's nothing to tell."<p>

"Alice!" I complained but it was clear by her expression that she wouldn't say anything else. I hugged her anyway.  
>"Thank you Alice." I said contently. It may not be much, but right now, it would help me keep my sanity. I pulled away and looked at her for a second.<br>"It's been a while since we've had a bit of girl time." I said, leaning back on my arms.  
>"Yes, well I wouldn't exactly say that this is girl time." She said sarcastically.<br>"It is, just at an inconvenient time."  
>"I guess so."<p>

"It feels wrong." I admitted.  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"Sitting here, doing nothing. Yesterday was so packed with emotion. It's almost as if I… I expected more?" She looked at me wearily.  
>"I understand, but please don't worry too much, we are better off bidding our time."<br>"The calm before the storm." I muttered.  
>"Yes, exactly." She said grimly.<br>"How is he?" I asked quietly after a few seconds.  
>"Not great. He never meant to hurt you Bella."<br>"I know."  
>"Bella, I just wanted to remind you, before being your sister, I was your best friend. I just wanted you to know, that I will always be there for you. I'm not just Edward's sister. Of course I would defend him, but I'm aware that he can be an idiot sometimes. I don't want you to feel like you have no friends within the family." I understood what she meant and I was grateful. If you think about it, a normal teenager would have her usual disputes with her parents and siblings and be able to express her anger to her friends. In a way, I always knew Alice was my friend above all, but it was good to have this reminder.<br>"Thank you." She rolled her eyes suddenly and I couldn't help but smile a bit. This was the Alice I knew.  
>"What?"<br>"I think it's time I get you back home. Edward is ready to come thrashing through the forest."  
>"Oh dear."<br>"Oh dear indeed. Come on, let's go." She pulled me over her shoulder once again and off we sped.

By the time we were home- which was longer than usual, I think Alice was purposefully giving me time to think- I was resolved to talk to Edward. We had never really had a serious argument and I'd never so openly ignored him.  
>"Good luck." Alice whispered in my ear before skipping off and joining Jasper on the couch. Edward wasn't anxiously waiting for me, no doubt giving me space. I walked upstairs and went towards his room. That was something else I hadn't done in a while. We usually stayed in my room or spent time with the family downstairs. I walked in, knowing that knocking wasn't necessary. Edward was sitting on his bed and watched me warily. I knew he wouldn't move until I made the first step. I turned around to shut the door, staring at my feet as I did. I stood awkwardly in front of him, playing with my fingers. I didn't know where to start. I'm sorry? No, that didn't cover it. I started to panic as I thought of countless things to say but couldn't express them. I shifted my weight to my left leg and the emotions from last night flooded through me. The argument.<br>"What are you thinking?" He finally asked, his expression pained as he leant forward. I lifted my arms towards him in a pathetic gesture. He was immediately at my side, cradling me against his chest.  
>"I'm sorry Bella." I slapped his chest lightly.<br>"Don't apologize. I know you have your reasons."  
>"You don't accept them."<br>"Don't expect me to." I sighed. In this case, we were just going to have to agree to disagree. I couldn't completely dismiss the rejected feeling of him not wanting me for eternity. But Alice's vision cleared up some of my worries such as the having to grow old while still with the Cullens. He picked me up and carried me to the bed. He lay me down gently next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder. I felt his lips press against my head and I sighed contently.  
>"I'm sorry." I said. It was really the only thing I could think of saying. As soon as things got complicated, the easiest way out was to apologize.<br>"Shall we both agree that neither of us have anything to apologize for?" I nodded. I just lay in his arms, content that this small drama was put behind us. By no means forgotten, but we didn't need more trouble.

"So what's happening?" I asked after a few comfortable moments of silence. I pushed myself up and looked at his puzzled face.  
>"I'm assuming you know more about the plan than I've been told." He looked at me guiltily.<br>"I told Alice to not tell you everything. Wanted to explain myself." I smiled for him to continue. He looked at me cautiously.  
>"We were thinking last night and we figured out that the safest solution is for us to stay here."<br>"You do realize that that makes no sense."  
>"By here I meant In Forks. We wouldn't be staying in this house. They've already passed your old house and they know your scent is all over the place. They won't check it again." He waited for my response but my emotions seemed to get stuck. All I could understand was my thoughts and they were rational. Without my emotions to blow everything out of control, I could see the logic.<br>"Ok." His eyes widened slightly.  
>"Ok?"<br>"You're right."  
>"Just like that?"<br>"Yes, pretty much."  
>"Always here if you want to talk." He said resigned, knowing that he couldn't push me. I just smiled and rolled so that I laying on top of him.<br>"We'll deal with it when we get there. Am I particularly looking forward to it? Of course not. But things are different. I'm stronger, I'm happy and I have you." I leant down and kissed him as his hands came up, one resting on my back and one tangling itself in my hair. He pulled me closer as he kissed me back. He finally released me and I slumped against him, out of breath.  
>"The effect you have on me just isn't healthy." I said.<br>"I rather like it." He chuckled.

"Bella?"  
>"Yes?"<br>"One more thing I think I should mention." I braced myself at his tone of voice. Well the happiness was short lived.

"Go ahead."  
>"We think we know how The Volturi found out about you. The werewolves were involved." I took in a sharp breath. That was one thing I didn't expect.<br>"How?" I asked quickly.  
>"Remember that patient Carlisle had?"<br>"The one you wouldn't talk to me about."  
>"Yes, it was Jacob. We didn't realize what he wanted. He faked some pathetic injury and Carlisle had no choice but to give him a consultation. He didn't say much. He asked to see you and obviously Carlisle said no. That was the end of it." I thought about it for a second, pushing the panic back as I tried to stay rational.<br>"He was making sure I was still with you." I finally decided.  
>"What?"<br>"You told me that vampires and werewolves are natural enemies. I assume contacting the Volturi was a risky move. It would be worse if the information they gave ended up being wrong." He looked at me surprised.  
>"You should really tell me these things. I think differently to you."<p>

He hugged me then took my hand and quickly led me downstairs. The family was gathered in the living room and Edward quickly repeated my revelation.  
>"Let's go now. We've let those dogs get away with way too much already." Emmett growled. Rose grabbed him by the arm as he walked forward.<br>"No, we can't do that and you know it. We don't need more trouble right now."  
>"I will not have them threaten Bella's safety again."<br>"But they have and we can't deal with this right now."

"She's right Emmett, as soon as you decided to attack them, the future went blank. I can't have that right now. We need to know what the Volturi are up to. My sight was clear before. We can't have the werewolves involved." Alice said urgently, so fast it was difficult to follow. And I knew that that pace was her trying to slow down for my benefit. Edward kept me in his arms as the conversation went on.  
>"Emmett, for once I agree with you, and you know I would be running out of that door with you. We just can't right now. It would put her in more danger." Jasper reasoned. You could always trust him to be reasonable. I cleared my throat, trying to break the intense glare that Emmett was sharing with Jasper.<br>"Let's try to survive the Volturi before taking on the werewolves." I said calmly. Emmett's head snapped towards me and his glare softened.  
>"They hurt you."<br>"Yes, and if that was really your reason, you'd have to kill many more people. " I looked at him firmly. I didn't want more violence. He looked at me evenly for a few seconds.  
>"Fine." I walked out of Edward's arm and into his instead.<br>"Thank you." His chest shook with laughter.  
>"As if you don't always get what you want." He chuckled but returned my hug. He paused for a second before picking me up and spinning me around. Once he set me down, I stumbled back and Edward caught me by the waist.<br>"Emmett…" I complained. "I thought we were past that."  
>"I've missed bullying you." He said simply and the mood lightened significantly.<br>"Yeah, well I don't." I grumbled.  
>"Sorry to ruin the mood guys, but it's time to move." Alice said calmly but there was still the undercurrent of urgency. I looked at my family smiled sadly. I was confident I would see them again, but the separation was going to be difficult.<p>

"Ready, steady, go." I said half-heartedly. 


	8. Chapter 7

**Well first of all I want to say thank you again so much for those who reviewed. Made me so happy I actually squealed. Maybe a bit childish… But thank you guys! I'm terribly sorry I didn't update earlier!  
>Happy reading<strong>

Chapter 7:

Jasper POV:

To say the emotions surrounding me were overwhelming would be like saying a tsunami is a 'big wave'. I looked at my family. All these people that I loved and cared for. This was something different to me. I spent most of my existence destroying other people's lives for survival. This sort of relationship; the loyalty, the trust, well I wouldn't say it was new to me but it still surprised me sometimes. The level of anxiety, determination, grief, fear, love, it was all mixed and I focused to try to spread an aura of calm. For this plan to work, we needed to concentrate. I looked at Alice for instructions.  
>"You and Emmett are first." She nodded sensing my question. Emmett went to get the keys and was back in a flash. At least for Bella. We each had a backpack filled with basic essentials. Several passports, one change of clothes, and a lot of cash. We couldn't be traced. When we were leaving this house we were no longer the Cullens, the civilized coven. We were nomads and we were fleeing. Emmett went to Rosalie's side and she looked at him longingly. I turned my head away from them. I had my own goodbye to say.<p>

I walked to Alice and took her small frame in my arms. So small yet so strong, that was my wife. She wanted to make me believe that she was invincible with her power, but she was as capable of feeling fear as much as any of us. She just hid it well. She looked up at me and widened her eyes, letting me know the truth about how she felt even though I already knew. She couldn't hide from me, as much as she wanted to sometimes. I lifted her face slightly as I bent down to kiss her on her smooth lips. I felt every ounce of her passion as she kissed me back. I released her face after a few seconds and she wrapped her arms around my waist.  
>"It will work." She whispered confidently and even though I knew to never bet against Alice, I still pulled her closer to me. A sudden swarm of guilt assaulted me and I looked slowly at Bella. She was looking at her feet, her face a brilliant red. I looked at her sadly. She didn't need to feel guilty. We all loved her more than she could imagine. I understood her distress, she was watching each of us having to say goodbye to our soul mates. Naturally, being Bella, she felt responsible. I pulled myself away from Alice.<p>

"Let's go." Emmett nodded and extracted himself from Rose's arms. I walked towards Bella at a particularly slow pace. I could feel her stress and her emotions were some of the strongest.  
>"Can I have your jacket?" I asked softly and the look of confusion on her face showed just how much this all affected her. She would have understood immediately if she wasn't under so much pressure.<br>"For your scent." She handed it to me wordlessly. This wouldn't do much other than just reinforce her scent, which already covers us. Unfortunately for her, her scent was abnormally strong. The Volturi would expect some kind of deceit from us, Emmett and I being the main fighters, we would be the primary targets. Nobody bothered asking Alice if it were really necessary to break up all of the couples, we knew the answer. Yes, it would all detract attention from Bella and she was our priority. This was all about Bella.

I ignored the dull burn at the back of my throat; which was too faint to bother me, and hugged Bella before leaving. The physical contact made my power stronger as I forced waves of calm upon Bella. I felt her limbs relax slightly and I pulled away.  
>"Don't feel guilty. We all want to help."<br>"That's why I feel guilty." She mumbled but didn't want to say anything more. I stood aside, feeling Emmett's intentions. He hugged her fiercely and I saw Edward flinch slightly as he saw Bella be handled in a less than gentle way. He knew Emmett would never hurt her, but he was occasionally a bit too strong.  
>"Breathing." She gasped, prompting Emmett to set her on her feet. He gave her a warm smile.<br>"Don't worry sis, everything is going to be fine." He ruffled her hair before shouldering his backpack. We didn't look back once more as we set off. We would be taking the jeep to the airport and leaving it there. We couldn't just run, because if we had Bella, we couldn't carry her the whole way. Demetri can't sample Bella's mind and therefore as long as we leave several clues that she is actually with us, the illusion would work. The Volturi would expect the best kind of protection from our family- they would never expect to actually see her.

There was a sense of hushed urgency as Emmett pushed his jeep to its limits. Speed wasn't crucial at this point, nobody was chasing us. Yet, we both knew that we had a plan and had to follow it to the letter. We didn't speak to each other as he drove. There was nothing to say. Emmett's face was grim but determined.  
>"Did Alice tell you anything else that I should know?" He said finally and I chuckled. He didn't feel resentment, he was used to Alice's ways. Unfortunately, so was I.<br>"No. You know what I know."  
>"Well that's a first."<p>

"She didn't have the opportunity to elaborate."  
>"I guess." He waited a few moments. "So what do you think?"<br>"This should work…"  
>"But?"<br>"Bella will never be safe from the Volturi, no matter how long we hide her."  
>"So what's Alice's plan?"<br>"Create a situation in which Edward doesn't believe Bella is under pressure and change her." This time it was Emmett's turn to chuckle.  
>"Good luck with that." I turned my head to see his goofy grin. Although Emmett could be extremely annoying, we got on well, and he did have a point here.<br>"Carlisle should just change her." He sighed frustrated and even though I couldn't help but agree slightly, I understood why that couldn't happen.  
>"But not-"<br>"Yeah, yeah, I know. Not while she feels in danger." He rolled his eyes at me. "Bella is ready, she's wanted this for a while. I would do it myself if I knew I could keep her safe."  
>"And Edward?" I raised my eyebrow.<br>"Well there wouldn't be much he could do."  
>"Touché."<p>

"So what did Alice see?" He pressed and I sighed.  
>"We escape the week deadline, we avoid Bella's death." Emmett's grip tightened on the steering wheel.<br>"What _is_ it with Bella?" He finally burst out exasperated and I couldn't help but agree with him.  
>"Her life was beyond twisted before we even got her as a baby. Then it gets worse and finally when I could convince myself that we were doing good by her, we put her into more danger." Emmett was just as protective as Edward, and so was I. I knew it was pointless to yell at fate for having given Bella such a hard time, but I let Emmett rant. This was hardly him having a breakdown, but he was letting go which he never did. But now, away from Rosalie and away from Bella, he could show his frustration which he saw as a weakness. He suddenly glanced my way.<br>"Enough feeling my emotions. How are you?" I laughed- Emmett being serious and sensitive felt odd.  
>"Don't mock my soft side." He chided. "I'm a big, warm, happy teddy bear." Now that was Emmett.<br>"Nice to know."

"But seriously, if you want to talk…"  
>"Thanks big, warm, happy teddy bear."<br>"Any time." His mood shifted. "Besides, you're going to have to open up. I mean, just think about it, you're spending every single minute of the next week with me and me alone." I groaned melodramatically.  
>"How will I live?"<br>"You won't." He said, deepening his voice and I couldn't help but smile. I looked up and saw we were nearing the airport.

The process would be quick and simple as we didn't have to check in any luggage. We parked the car and I could feel a small hint of regret as Emmett looked at his car.  
>"Don't worry, you'll see it again." I joked, steering Emmett away from the car by his shoulders. He threw his arm over his eyes.<br>"Oh, the pain." I nudged him forward.  
>"Come on, I don't want to have to tell Alice we missed our flight because you were saying goodbye to your car." Emmett's phone suddenly flashed and he checked it immediately.<br>"Yeah, we need to get going." His voice once again serious. We walked forwards and quickly made it through security. We made it to our seats, naturally first class, and got settled in. The flight was set to last ten hours. It was unsettling knowing that we were actually flying towards the Volturi instead of away. I knew these next few hours would be infuriating and reassuring at the same time, and both for the same reason; there was nothing more we could do. For now.

Waves of lust mingled with fear oozed out of the female humans and it struck me again how different Bella was to these simple-minded creatures. Of course they couldn't help it. Vampires were designed to attract their prey. That would suggest that something was wrong with Bella though. It wouldn't surprise me- the girl had no sense of self-preservation. Her compassion ruled her life, which was dangerous, but it made her Bella.

Patience was something that Emmett still hadn't acquired as a vampire and I sighed as he bounced his knee up and down repeatedly. This would be the irritating part of the trip.  
>"Emmett, do that any more and you'll make a hole in the plane." I hissed and he shot me annoyed glance but stopped regardless.<br>"You sound like Esme sometimes."  
>"Well Esme is very sensible."<br>"Whatever."  
>"You're so childish."<br>"Sorry mom."  
>"Seriously Emmett, we're in the middle of a pretty awful time and you choose this moment to act like a complete ass." I didn't feel any shame coming from him at my words, and that in turn made me feel ashamed. He was only trying to lighten the mood.<br>"We can't do anything now." He paused. "Do you know when Rose and Carlisle were leaving?"  
>"Probably around now." He nodded.<p>

"Ok then, let's discuss strategy." I appreciated what he was doing. Now strategy, that was something I could do.  
>"We can't stay in France too long, it's just our starting point." He nodded. "We need to start moving away from the Volturi as soon as we get there. They'll only start hunting for us at the end of the week, so we need to have created a trail by then. We'll have to rent a car. Nothing too high profile." I added hastily before he got too excited.<br>"I'm not that ridiculous. Alice and Rose are worse than I am." I had to give him that.  
>"Demetri will target us."<br>"Sending their best." Emmett smirked and even though I shared the sentiment, I knew I couldn't get arrogant.  
>"Yes, the best. We'll have to be careful."<br>"You seem to underestimate me. I could never do anything to put Bella's safety at risk. Even if it means avoiding a fight."  
>"I know."<br>"Right, we can't travel too long without stopping. 'Bella' needs to sleep and eat."  
>"And they won't expect us to leave her alone. They know we can hold our thirst long enough."<br>"We should avoid the cities. It's not like the crowd would slow them down anyway and we don't want anybody else to have to get involved or harmed."  
>"We'll buy human provisions then head for the mountains-" At that moment the air hostess walked up to me and quietly cleared her throat as her instincts told her not to get too close to me.<p>

"Excuse me sir, you have a call." She pointed towards the online phone embedded in the side of my seat and as soon as I picked it up, I was patched through.  
>"Jasper?" I was suddenly concerned.<br>"Alice, what's wrong?"  
>"Head for Belgium." She said furiously and I realized that the future must have changed when we'd decided to go to the Alps. I knew this call couldn't last long.<br>"Anything else?"  
>"We can't contact each other anymore. Once you guys touch down, I need to cut off from you."<br>"I know." I sighed. Emmett leant over and took the phone.  
>"Did Rose make it to the airport safely?" He asked quickly.<br>"Yes, her and Carlisle are on their way."  
>"Do you see them arriving?"<br>"Yes Emmett, they'll be safe. The Volturi will send Demetri straight after you and it will take them longer to dispatch anybody else to tag them."  
>"Thanks Alice." He murmured before wordlessly passing the phone back to me.<br>"I love you." I whispered to her longingly.  
>"I love you too." And she only said one more thing before finally going our own ways for what would most definitely be a stressful week;<p>

"Good luck."

**Oooh, so things are finally getting set into motion Sorry if story is a bit slow, I just like having a good understanding of the character and I hope this satisfied the readers who said they preferred different POV's. I've always loved Jasper and Emmett and truly believe that they do sincerely care for Bella a lot!**

**Also sorry, this chapter was a bit shorter than usual…  
>Iole01xxx<strong>


	9. Apology

I am so sorry to all my readers. I know I'm two updates behind and I'm terribly sorry. Recently finished exams and then I was simply so tired. Now, I have a friend over from Belgium so find it unfair to write while she's here as I see her once a year! Please just be a patient a little while longer, I promise I will have a new chapter by this weekend! Thank you so much guys.  
>Iole01 xxx<p> 


	10. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delayed update, been a really really stressful week! Hope this chapter makes up for it though and I hope you're still enjoying the story Do leave any feedback if you have time!**

Chapter 8:

Alice POV

Coordinating this 'mission' was stressful but so far everything was going according to plan.  
>"Edward, Esme, we need to confuse the scent." I said this slowly, cautiously looking at Edward. He wasn't aware of this part of the plan.<p>

"Bella?" He asked his voice tight.  
>"She will drive there." I replied simply. Bella looked surprised and Edward looked at me coldly.<br>"Not alone."  
>"Edward, this is not the time to argue." I snapped. He of all people should know that the things I said were necessary and that I would never endanger Bella. "Bella will be safer if her scent isn't mixed with ours on the way to the house. We need to run around the town mixing our scent more thoroughly with the humans and across the forest." Bella stepped in between us.<br>"Enough arguing already. It's fine Edward. I'm sure I can manage the drive. You guys do whatever you need to do and I'll meet you at the house." She didn't hesitate as she hauled her heavy bag over her shoulder, making her stumble slightly, and then walk to collect the car keys. Edward was at her side and took the bag away from her gently. He kissed her forehead before what would appear to her as him vanishing momentarily and returning without the bag. She leant up and kissed him swiftly on the lips but even so I had to turn away. It was only a brief sign of affection but that was already more than I was willing to bear. Leaving Jasper was still raw and I knew I wouldn't see him for a while. Bella gave Esme a hug before coming to me and giving me one too. She then walked out the front door and a few seconds later I heard the engine start. I smirked. This is one of the many reasons I love Bella. She knows what needs to be done and does it. There was no denying she was nervous, her heartbeat was louder and faster, but nevertheless, she didn't look back.

Edward frowned at my thoughts. Yes, this quality could also be a flaw, I acknowledge that.  
>"Right, let's go." Esme whispered, anxious to be reunited with Bella. I nodded and left the house followed by Edward. Esme was the only one who looked back longingly at the house which held so many memories. I didn't need to look back, we'd be returning to this house.<br>"Do we need to split up?" Esme asked. I regretted not addressing Esme more. I'm too accustomed to Edward being able to hear my thoughts.  
>"Yes, I'll go through the town, Edward the forest and could you go around the houses?" She nodded before running over and I didn't need to turn in Edward's direction to know he was already gone. Over protective fool… But I knew where he was coming from. I too was in a hurry to see Bella. I quickly ran through my section, and met back with the others. Edward was anxious to start again.<p>

"I'll take the town now, Esme forest, Alice houses." We swiftly ran through our allocated areas and the switched once more. Our scent would be heavy which would hopefully distract the Volturi when they came to check… in a few minutes. Edward looked at me.  
>"I thought you said we had an hour."<br>"They're ahead of schedule, nothing to worry about." He nodded and gave me a small smile. It was a sign of apology. I rolled my eyes. _Yeah, yeah, just try to control your mood swings, will you? I'm seriously starting to think you have PMS._ He nudged me slightly but smiled.  
>"May I be let in on the joke?" Esme smiled at us.<br>"Oh nothing, Edward was just feeling bad for doubting my insane skills." I chirped happily before we all headed back to Bella. Everything would be fine, the future remained unchanged and Bella remained safe.

"Right, time to go back home." I sung happily and again Edward was already a step ahead. I ran in just in time to see Bella sitting stiffly on the sofa in the living room of the house before Edward had her in his arms. I frowned as I looked at Bella's face. She was holding it together but what we were asking of her was maybe more than she could handle. This house held too many bad memories. I could still smell the stale smell of Bella's blood covering several surfaces, most of it concentrated in the kitchen. Where we had found her… I pursed my lips but walked forward and kissed Bella on the head.  
>"You made it here alive." I said, plastering a smile to my face. She rolled her eyes.<br>"I can drive a car."  
>"Barely." Edward murmured into her hair and she nudged him, knowing full well she was probably hurting herself more than him.<br>"So what now?" She asked pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Her tone was calm and controlled.  
>"Movie?" Esme asked lightly and Bella raised an eyebrow.<br>"What?" She laughed.  
>"A movie? Seriously? With a bunch of blood thirsty vampires after me?"<br>"Nothing to do for a week now." I laughed.  
>"Well that's anticlimactic." This time it was Edward's turn to laugh.<br>"You're so odd." He sighed, shaking his head.  
>"How are the others?" Bella asked, a hint of concern coloring her voice and I couldn't help but frown. This was a question I didn't really want to answer because I didn't know much.<br>"Everything is going according to plan."  
>"For now." She added.<br>"For now." I conceded.  
>"I'm going to go put my things upstairs."<br>"Do you want me to come?" Edward asked gently and Bella shook her head.  
>"I'm fine. I've already been back here since."<br>"I know."  
>Bella picked up her bag and slowly went up the stairs. I used to wonder why she forced herself to do things alone when we could so easily help her but that was just part of her character. She needed some form of control over her life. Edward was watching Bella as she walked away.<br>"We should probably make her lunch." I told him.  
>"Yeah, of course." We both walked to the kitchen and Edward walked to the cupboard. He reached out as if to open it then turned around to face me with a frown.<br>"Food." He grumbled and I just laughed.  
>"I'll go get some." I skipped over to grab my purse. "I'll be right back."<br>"Ok."  
>"Oh and Edward, relax. Everything will be fine."<p>

Bella POV:

I let my hand run against the wall as I walked to my old room. Felt like I was an actress in a movie, but truth be told, it was somehow interesting feeling the rough texture of the peeling wallpaper. I saw my door and walked in without hesitation. There was nothing to be afraid of. I hauled my bag onto my bed and it creaked in protest. I sat next to my bag and took a deep breath. My room hadn't changed. Why would it have? Nobody's been living here. The walls were bare and everything was clean. I lifted my mattress and found a small box. I looked inside and was disappointed. This used to be my 'life box'. There were painkillers and bandages as well as a small piece of crumbling bread. I picked up the pathetic piece of food and took great satisfaction in squeezing it until it crumbled away. I took one last long look at my room and stood up quickly. Things have changed. I smiled.

"Edward?" I called and he appeared at my door. So patient. I walked forwards and hugged him. "Help me?" I asked brightly.  
>"To do what?"<br>"We need to brighten this place up."  
>"Are you ok?"<p>

"Of course. But if I have to live here this week, might as well make it feel like home." He smiled and nodded, kissing me gently.  
>"I'm proud of you."<br>"I know." I grinned before taking his hand and dragging him into the hallway.  
>"Esme?"<br>"Yes?"  
>"This house needs more color." She looked at me and smiled.<br>"Any in mind?" My smile widened as I was getting excited.  
>"Anything you can find!" I exclaimed before walking straight into Charlie's room. Of course, all in perfect condition, giving nothing away as to whom might have lived here. I ran and jumped on his bed. The mattress was hard but I took pleasure in wrinkling the sheets and pushing the pillows out of alignment. People might judge my reaction, but I would like to see them go through what I did and then we'd see how they'd turn out in the end. I was lucky; I had someone to pick me up when there seemed to be no hope. I hopped off the bed and headed towards the closet I knew was here. Charlie always handed me clean sheets and there was no other closet in the house. I was disappointed to see brown and cream sheets. Nothing colorful. Well, we would just have to manage with what we had. I pulled out some pale blue sheets and unfolded them. Edward was standing at the doorway, looking at me amused.<br>"Need a hand?"  
>"Can you rip those curtains down?" The murky green wasn't to my taste.<br>"You sure."  
>"Yes, just try not to destroy the house." He rolled his eyes but complied.<br>"And somehow manage to tie this up?" He took the sheet and ripped it in half before tearing little sections at the top. He tied these little strings at regular intervals around the pole; successfully making them look like curtains. I was impressed.  
>"Esme, what do you think?"<br>"I approve." She chuckled. I nodded then skipped back downstairs. I didn't know what I wanted to do with Charlie's room, so I'd start somewhere easier- the living room.  
>"Ideas?"<br>"It needs to be more open." Esme said thoughtfully.  
>"Come on, get to work." I told Edward with a giggle.<br>"Yes ma'am."  
>"Awe, you've started without me." Alice sighed holding several bags heavily packets with items so bright that you could see the colors through the plastic bags. Oh, trust Alice to be prepared. I smiled and ran forward to give her a hug.<br>"I think things are going to be ok." I said contently as I sat down on the sofa. Edward kissed me on the forehead.  
>"Me too. Now would you please move?"<br>"Nope." I grinned and he seem to take that as a challenge.  
>"Okay." And he then proceeded to lift the couch with me still sitting on it. I couldn't help but laugh as it suddenly felt as if my stomach had flipped. I clung onto the edge of the couch- not particularly afraid but not completely comfortable.<br>"Okay, let me down." I wailed playfully.  
>"So where would you like this particular piece of furniture madam?" He asked formally.<br>"I would say a bit to the left." Esme played along. Eventually I did get Alice to rescue me and I was pleased that it didn't take long to make my living room look more 'friendly'. Esme had great taste, there was no denying it.

"Right, food time for the human." Alice declared happily once we'd finished. I took Edward's hand and walked into the kitchen, shivering slightly as I entered. Many beatings took place here but instead of dwelling on those thoughts, I focused on Edward's soothing presence beside me and I turned to Alice and Esme.  
>"What am I eating?" It still sounded incredibly rude to not ask what 'we' were eating or to not simply cook my own food, but my family insisted on cooking themselves.<br>"Pasta with chicken?"  
>"Sounds perfect." I stood up to help anyway because I wanted to keep busy. Besides, I knew where everything was and even though it wouldn't take Esme long to locate everything, I might as well start. I went to the drawer by the refrigerator and pulled out a knife. I then got a board and had the intention to start slicing the chicken but Edward took my wrist and kissed me on the head before pulling me away laughing.<br>"No way, not after your last encounter with the kitchen knife." I blushed as I remembered the last time I tried to help. To be fair, I am quite a decent cook and it wasn't exactly my fault that I tripped while holding the knife and both Edward and Jasper saw it coming and tried to catch me at the same time, ending up in a bundle on the ground with me sitting next to them dazed as I somehow still managed to cut myself. He chuckled at my scarlet face but just brought me to the kitchen chair.  
>"How about we take care of the sauce?" I accepted this compromise but couldn't help putting up some form of weak resistance.<br>"I'm not a child."  
>"So you say." I bit back my retort as I turned to look at Edward and sighed. He would always have this power over me. It seemed quite pathetic at times. I turned back to the table and began working on the sauce.<p>

Once we were all comfortably settled in the living room, Alice turned on the tv and flicked through the channels slowly until someone found something of interest. I finally settled on some documentary about Shakespeare. I had seen so many, but this one was surprisingly good and I soon became absorbed. I went to bed and Edward stayed with me. The next day was very similar to the first. Our little home project moved from the living to upstairs as we started attacking the rest of Charlie's room and my own. It was nice having something a bit more physical to do. Of course the Cullens didn't let me strain myself, but they did let me help quite significantly which truly cheered me up. I ate left over chicken and pasta for lunch as we couldn't go out too often to buy more supplies and there was no point in wasting perfectly good food.

We settled once more in front of the tv and were lucky enough to find a decent movie. What happened next is something that none of us were expecting. Alice's phone rang. There was a split second of silence before she lunged for her phone and answered it immediately. Fear starting trickling through my veins as I saw Alice's agitation. She was never taken by surprise and in this situation, the surprise couldn't be good. I put my bowl down and pulled myself close to Edward, burying my face against his chest. No, please not more bad news. Alice didn't try to speak at a speed that I could understand. That worried me even more. Something had happened and for Alice to lose her cool, it must be very bad. Edward wasn't moving but when I lifted my face I could see from his expression that he was listening to the conversation and Alice's thoughts. Esme stood anxiously close to Alice.

Alice swiftly hung up only to be on the phone once more. This conversation was even shorter than the previous one as no sooner had it begun that the phone was already crushed in her palm. She ran quickly to the shopping bags and pulled out a new one which she set up.  
>"The plan has changed." She breathed, having only seemed to remember my presence.<br>"Alice?" I asked shakily but she ignored me as she sorted out the phone, deliberately slowly.  
>"Alice." I demanded with a bit more force as I stood up.<br>"We're still safe." She told me, looking at me in the eye, showing nothing but honesty.  
>"What happened? Who was that on the phone?" My voice started going higher as I didn't get the answers I was looking. Edward stood behind me with his arms wrapped around me. She was suddenly at my side, grasping my hands.<br>"Please don't panic Bella, you're ok."  
>"I don't care about me. Are the others safe?"<br>"They'll be fine."  
>"What happened?" I nearly screeched.<br>"Demetri caught up with Emmett and Jasper. They managed to keep up the appearance that you were with them. I had to tell Rose and Carlisle to change their course." She said extremely quickly. My heart started racing.  
>"Are they ok? Did Demetri hurt them?" Edward squeezed me tighter only confirming my fears.<br>"They've got Emmett."

**And there we go, finally some action taking place… Thanks for sticking with my story, won't be such a long wait until the next update!  
>Iol01 xxx<strong>


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Jasper POV

We'd being doing well so far. Of course Emmett took the situation as a game, but when it came down to it, I was glad I was partnered with him. His emotions were simple and easy to handle. He knew what he was doing and despite all his joking, his number one priority was to keep Bella safe- he wouldn't do anything stupid.

It was a bit frustrating having to travel using human transport, but we knew we had to keep up the image that Bella was with us and we were just extremely good at hiding her. To do this, we had to mix with humans a lot to confuse the scent. I had not left Forks for a while and all these new fragrances tempted me, but Emmett kept me focused.

Demetri had caught up with us faster than I expected. He wasn't close enough that I could feel his emotions, but he was closing in on us fast. There was no denying he was a great tracker- Emmett and I were careful in covering our tracks. It didn't take us long to realize that we didn't have to purposefully make small careless mistakes as Alice suggested, Demetri didn't need any hints.  
>"Ready Jaz?" Emmett called out to me and I joined him at the door. We'd been staying in motels as we'd slowly moved across the country. It was incredible how all them were practically identical.<br>"Where we going next?"  
>"Long part of the journey. For Bella that is… We're going to be travelling for about twelve hours."<br>"Time for her to sleep?"  
>"On the train."<br>"Perfect." This had quickly become routine over the short space of time. We had to plan as if Bella were actually with us.

It didn't feel quite right as we checked out of the hotel but I ignored the sentiment. I couldn't sense any form of determination or anger nearby which Demetri was sure to feel. It would be like a beacon of light among the other dull human emotions.  
>"We need to be careful today." I told Emmett none the less.<br>"We need to be careful everyday." He chuckled.  
>"Today in particular."<br>"Can you feel him close by?"  
>"No," I pursed my lips "But something is wrong." Emmett simply nodded before running to our car at our own speed and opening the back door, as if putting Bella in. He shut it quickly and was in front of the wheel. I was already waiting in the passenger seat. Even though we weren't in a particularly sunny part of France, we still chose tinted windows to keep us concealed. We sped away quickly and even though we were making great time, the uneasy feeling didn't go away. I eventually stopped the car as the nagging at the back of my brain worsened.<br>"Jaz?"  
>"Can you feel it?"<br>"Feel what?" I walked out of the car and squinted, using the full capability off my enhanced sight. Emmett followed me out and as soon as he stepped out of the car I felt the difference. The earlier emotions I expected from Demetri suddenly hit me full force. He was here and judging by the force of the emotions, he wasn't alone.

"Shit."  
>"Get in the car." It was a stupid request and I knew it. There was no way any car could outrun a vampire. Emmett ignored me and whipped around, bracing himself. I barely had time to do the same before Demetri lunged straight at me. From the corner of my eye I could see that it was Felix that accompanied Demetri and he went straight for Emmett. My instincts kicked in as I retaliated, I was no longer human. I lunged, aiming for Demetri's throat, which would allow me to deliver the fatal blow by tearing his head off. I let my anger fuel my actions as I remembered why we were here and why I was fighting. We were protecting Bella. Emmett fought just as furiously alongside me.<p>

We were well matched, as nobody seemed to gain the upper hand. However even in the midst of battle I could feel something was wrong. Demetri wasn't fully attacking me. He blocked my attacks and did retaliate but he wasn't going in for the kill. His offense was weak. I made the mistake of glancing towards Emmett to see if Felix was fighting in the same off way, but that gave Demetri the opportunity to sink a blow to my face, sending me flying backwards. It wasn't particularly painful, but it did momentarily distract Emmett, letting Felix take the upper hand in the fighting. Demetri didn't hesitate as he turned to help Felix overcome Emmett. I was too far away to offer immediate help and momentarily dazed.

Emmett snarled ferociously and snapped at Felix's strong arms that were pinning Emmett to the floor. I was running back to help my brother, cursing my amateur mistake but it was already too late. Felix and Demetri bundled Emmett into the car and drove off quickly. Felix was in the backseat, no doubt restraining Emmett while Demetri drove. I knew I couldn't follow- if Emmett hadn't already escaped by now, it meant he was being held in a compromising position. If I tried to interfere, it would give Felix the incentive to harm Emmett.

I watched as the car drove away. Emmett was gone and the Volutri didn't stay behind to face me. This was their plan from the start. It made sense as I thought about Demetri's reserved fighting. I still didn't understand why they would want to do this. This whole problem was over the fact that Bella was human. It would offer them leverage over the family but Emmett was one of the strongest and he wouldn't let us sacrifice Bella's safety for his.

I knew I had to act quickly but I allowed myself a few seconds to just let my emotions out. Any human within a few miles radius would have felt the power of my grief. Emmett and I bickered a lot, but we were close. It was because of my mistake that he wasn't here right now. Although I highly doubted that the Volturi would kill him, Jane's power could cause more damage than I wanted to think about.

I slowly dragged myself up and reached into my pocket to pull out the mobile phone I wasn't supposed to use except if in an emergency. I was pretty sure this counted as an emergency. I cringed as I thought of calling Rose first. I knew all too well how it felt to have your mate in danger. My grief would be nothing compared to hers. I decided it would not only be easier but also more efficient if I called Alice first. She needed to know the change of events and help us decide what to do next.

"Alice, the Volturi have Emmett." It crushed me to have to give her bad news straight away when really I was craving to hear her voice.  
>"How?" She was agitated and taken by surprise which I knew scared her on top on the already disturbing information.<br>"They ambushed us. I don't know how they found us. Something isn't right. Even once we were alone they didn't strike straight away. It's as if they were waiting for something. They're fighting was off, they weren't going in for the kill."  
>"Have you called Rose?"<br>"Not yet."  
>"Let me do it." I nodded to myself then hung my head.<br>"I'm sorry." I mumbled.  
>"Don't for a second think this is your fault. Come back home. We need to figure something out. The game is over and they know it. My plan didn't work."<br>"We'll figure something else out." I tried to comfort her.  
>"Yes." She was determined and I was glad to hear that despair hadn't completely taken hold of her.<br>"Jaz, make it home safely."  
>"I will. I love you."<br>"Love you too." And she hung up quickly.

I sighed and grabbed my hair with both hands. I had to think of the next step and let go of my emotions. For now at least. I slowly relaxed my hands and let them drop to my side. We would figure this out. I quickly made my way back to the town centre and looked out for a convenient care I could steal. I soon spotted a dark grey BMW M3. It would be fast. I stole it without any problems as expected and was on my way to the airport.

Emmett POV

I cursed as I was forced into a position where there was no possible way I could escape. Felix kept me in the hold whilst Demetri pushed the car to the limit. I prayed Jasper didn't follow me. It would only get him into trouble when I really needed him on the outside. What lay ahead didn't scare me as much as why they wanted me. I knew torture awaited me but they would use me as leverage in some way. It was stupid for them to go through the effort of capturing me if they only wanted to kill me. The obvious thing was to get us to either kill or change Bella. I knew that if it came down to it, the family wouldn't let Bella die. She would become a vampire even if against Edward's wish. However it still seemed too simple. If they'd figured out our ploy, why not go straight for Bella and force our hand immediately?

My thoughts shifted to Rose and a pang of despair hit me. The very thought of her distress made me uncomfortable but I had to cast the thoughts away. I had to be strong and so would she. It sounded harsh but we understood each other and fed off each other's strength. She would know that Bella's safety was more at risk than mine.

Felix and Demetri were silent until they were sure that they had safely escaped Jasper. I was hoping for Felix to make a rookie mistake and loosen his hold as he felt more relaxed but the grip was still firm. Eventually he shoved me forwards and chuckled.  
>"You Cullens aren't as smart as you think you are." I scowled but gave no reply. I wasn't in the position to antagonize them, but it was tempting…<br>"I have to admit, you're strategy did confuse us at the start. It's incredibly how far you're willing to go to protect the human." He sneered.  
>"Her name is Bella." I snapped but that only merited another shove in the back. I sighed realizing again that there was no way out and decided that while I was in this situation, I might as well learn as much information as I could.<br>"You must be so proud. You just captured the best Cullen." I boasted hoping they would reveal something about why they needed me.  
>"The best." Demetri scoffed from the front seat.<br>"Well why else would you need me?"  
>"Always so arrogant." Demetri shook his head smiling.<br>"What makes you think we're after you?" Felix snorted.  
>"I'm the one stuck in the car smartass." That deserved an elbow to the back of my head. I flinched.<br>"Even an idiot like you would have realized by now that we could just use you to obtain something else."  
>"You're going through a lot of trouble over such a small issue."<br>"Perhaps." Demetri frowned. "But Aro thinks it's worth it."  
>"He knows something he's not telling us." Felix said, mainly to Demetri.<br>"If he hasn't told us, it's none of our business." Demetri replied firmly. "Enough now. Jane will be meeting us soon." I had to control my features as to not let it show that her very name sent a shiver up my spine.

True to his word, shortly after the car began to slow down before the door was opened and I was roughly pushed out. Jane immediately exercised her power on me. I fell to the floor in agony as pain engulfed my mind. It faded as suddenly as it began but I didn't move as I slowly regained my senses. I was vaguely aware of Felix laughing.  
>"He hasn't even said anything yet."<br>"Let's just say it was a welcoming gift." A high tinkling voice replied. I pushed myself up and wasn't surprised to find that I was no longer restrained. I was in a contained location. Running would be pointless so I didn't try.  
>"What do you want?" I asked my voice rough but with no hint of fear.<br>"Follow me." Jane said simply as she led me down a corridor. I examined my surroundings and even though I'd never been to Volterra, I could already predict the resemblance. It was dark and damp. Definitely underground. I was wondering if the Volturi had another place where they could meet in secret. France would be a good location.  
>"What am I doing here?"<br>"Just a safe way to get you to Italy."  
>"Tunnels? Really?" I wasn't given an answer so I just kept on walking. I knew there was no feasible way they had a tunnel system from France to Italy. That was ridiculous. They would have to force me into another means of transport and I knew that would be my best chance of escape. Right now I was outnumbered and I couldn't see the way out.<p>

I mentally tried to calculate how much time had passed since I had been dragged into the car. A couple of hours maybe? Jasper was quick; he would have contacted the others by now and they would be figuring something out. I tried to run through several plans of action they could take, but none looked promising. Yet again, when this whole situation had first presented itself, we thought the only solution would be to turn Bella, but Alice had found a loop whole. I wondered briefly what had gone wrong, what had changed for Alice's plan to be faulty. I suppose it didn't really matter.

We were now walking upwards. I was nearly climbing as I sensed the change in the air. We weren't in France anymore. This was impossible. We hadn't even been travelling that long… My head snapped round to a dim light ahead and without warning, Jane's crippling power took hold of me once again. I withheld my groan as she seemed to enjoy torturing me for no reason. Jane was one vampire I didn't feel the need to provoke. What I hadn't realized was that this particular torture session had a purpose. She was trying to disorientate me. She also knew that the weakness in there plan was transporting me to Italy and in those moments of pain, I was bewildered enough for Felix and Demetri to force me into another inescapable hold and drag me into the open.

I wasn't able to figure out exactly where I was before I was roughly pushed into another vehicle. My vision was clouded by a thick material that Jane threw over my head. It wasn't very disconcerting to lose my vision as my other sense were so refined, but it still gave the Volturi an advantage. It didn't take long before I was once again shoved out of the car. This was becoming an uncomfortable routine. Again, underground, damp, dark. I was finally thrown into a room where I was allowed to take off my blindfold. My heart sank even though I was expecting it. I was in a cell under Volterra. The dungeons for lack of a better word.

"Enjoy your stay." Jane chimed.

**And there we go, another long wait but I did try to make this chapter slightly longer to make up for it… Thank you for reading!  
>Iole01 xxx<strong>


	12. Chapter 10

**Here we go I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It's a bit longer than usual to make up for my lack of regular updating. Terribly sorry about that and I hope you enjoy the story!**

Chapter 10:

Bella POV

"Edward?"  
>"Try to sleep Bella."<br>"I can't."  
>"Please try."<br>"Sing to me?"

The sweet sound of his humming relaxed me immediately and I was able to organize my thoughts instead of suffering from the frenzied panic. Edward kissed my head and I felt him smile as I calmed down. Surprisingly little had happened since the phone call. We were just waiting for the others to meet us but that didn't stop my brain from nearly exploding. Edward had been very aware of my mental… fragility and he was doing his best to keep me calm. I don't think I'd left his arms for longer than a few minutes since the phone call. Without him, the guilt over Emmett's capture was simply crushing.

"Tell me things are going to be ok." I whispered. There were a few seconds silence.  
>"I can't." He said sadly. I nodded, knowing that Edward wouldn't lie to me. Tears pooled in my eyes and slowly started trickling down my face. Edward kissed them away between apologies.<br>"It's my fault." I blurted and he immediately grabbed my face between his hands. He tried to catch my gaze but I refused. It was the first time I had mentioned my feeling of guilt even though I'm sure it was obvious. I didn't want to say it simply for Edward to tell me it wasn't my fault. I'm not stupid and no amount of sugar coating could hide that fact.  
>"Look at me." He finally said forcefully. I couldn't refuse as I looked into his eyes, but for once, his powerful eyes didn't sway my emotions.<br>"This has nothing to do with you. It isn't your fault. We love you, we'd do anything for you and everybody was aware of the risks."  
>"That still makes it my fault."<br>"No, never."  
>"You can't just say that."<br>"You would do the same for us. Now please try to get some sleep. The others will be here tomorrow."

I nodded and fell silent but the thoughts still whirled in my mind. Edward was right. I would do the same for them. That only started setting off more thoughts in my brain. I had to protect my family just as they've protected me countless times before.

This entire thing was my fault and there was no denying it. I put the Cullens in danger by entering their family in the first place and then by attracting the Volturi's attention. Things didn't need to be this complicated. Just because nobody was prepared to do what needed to be done, doesn't mean that I shouldn't do it. I was ready. I was prepared. I was well aware that the offer of immortality was probably gone due to our little scheme to escape them, but that was ok. I would die to protect my family.

The thought actually settled my fluttering heart as my emotions set on determination. Now, I only needed to plan. Yes, it did panic me to remember that I had to outsmart vampires- extremely protective vampires- but I've been living with them long enough to have learnt some tricks. My best chance had to be before the others arrived. Once Carlisle, Rosalie and Jasper were gone, I'd have no chance.

To be completely honest, I wanted to avoid Rosalie. Seeing her share her goodbye with Emmett was bad enough, but I didn't want to see her once she had lost him. My relationship with Rosalie could be considered odd. I know she was very much my mother when I was first with the family as a baby. Not being able to have her own baby hit her hard when she was a vampire and I was a good substitute. However, Esme was better from an image point of view. Either way, I was taken away from them and when I was taken back, I was already grown up. It was only logical for Rosalie to be my sister as we were visually the same age. However, I still felt the nurturing love of a mother from her. In a way, she was still my mother- definitely more so than Alice. Alice was my best friend. I went to each of them regarding different issues. It was all a bit confusing, but it worked and that's all that matters. So that's why the idea of seeing her hurt distressed me. Not only because she was someone I loved, but also because I was always used to seeing her as a strong maternal figure and couldn't see her upset.

I turned my thoughts away from Rosalie as that path was becoming too painful. I sighed. Any path would be painful right now. I fleetingly considered Carlisle's disappointment and Jasper's guilt. No. I can't think about them like this. I would be doing this to protect them. I had to do it. I had to make it to the Volturi on my own before my family could stop me. There must be a way to do it. Vampires were fast and could easily outrun cars. My safest time will be when I'm on the plane, which will no doubt give me a head start once I reach Italy, but I know the Cullens would be following close behind. This means that the biggest flaw in my plan would be getting to the airport. The most obvious thing would be to let Edward, Alice and Esme drive me to there. The only way to manage this would be to go pick up the rest of the family; which would only grant me a very small window of escape.

A sudden, terrifying thought just struck me. Alice. I then realized that I hadn't really made any decision to do more than confuse the future as I hadn't made any clear plans. The future was already mixed up at the moment with Emmett being captured and the rest coming home. My plans wouldn't trigger anything in Alice's mind at the moment.

We were going to pick everybody up tomorrow. Rosalie and Carlisle were arriving at ten thirty and Jasper at twelve. I would have to disappear before any of them arrived, especially Jasper. My emotions would be like a beacon to him. Right now, I didn't really have any advantage apart from the fact that I knew their powers and was pretty sure I could avoid them. That still wasn't much to go on. How would I actually make it on the flight quickly once I escaped Edward?

I kept going through my plan before eventually my thoughts turned sluggish and I simply couldn't resist sleep. I relaxed against Edward's body, trying not to think about to tomorrow.

~~~~~

Even though I didn't get much sleep, I wasn't tired or groggy when I woke up.  
>"Bella?" Edward whispered before kissing my head. I was immediately awake.<br>"Yes."  
>"What would you like for breakfast?"<br>"Not hungry." He frowned at my response. I've never had a huge appetite, but out of force of habit, when I was stressed, I didn't eat a thing.  
>"Please eat something."<br>"You know I will." His frown deepened at my short response.  
>"Please don't be worried." He said as he stroked my face. "Everything's going to be ok."<br>"I know." I tried to sounds convincing but the two simple words came out flat. Edward tried to analyze my expression but I wouldn't give him the opportunity.  
>"I'm going to take a shower."<br>"Okay." He sighed as he hugged me closer before letting go.

I was dead inside. The only way to succeed in this plan was to disconnect from the whole situation. I couldn't afford to lose it now. I took my time in the shower. I was in no rush to return to my family. Eventually I heard a soft knock on the door.  
>"Honey," Esme's sweet voice called out; "Breakfast is ready and we need to leave in twenty minutes."<br>"Be right there." I wrapped myself in a towel in quickly skipped back into my room. I didn't expect Edward to still be there and I slipped on the last step. He caught me by the arm as I tumbled forward. He gently set me on my feet. He gave me a quick look then rapidly lifted my towel a few inches before looking away. I blushed as I realized what had happened. Edward pulled me into a hug and kissed me.  
>"So warm." He murmured. He pulled away. "I'll wait for you downstairs."<br>"N-n-no." I stammered, lurching forward to grab his arm. I regretted my actions as he turned back with a confused face. My mind and body was craving some sort of goodbye even though I know I shouldn't allow myself one. I put my hand behind his neck and pulled his face down to mine. I kissed him but had to hold back my passion. He couldn't know anything was wrong. He responded to my kiss hesitantly and eventually pulled away again.  
>"Go get ready." He said with a small smile. I nodded and he left the room. I guess that would be the closest thing to a goodbye that I would get.<p>

I quickly threw on some comfortable clothes and then grabbed my small backpack. From it, I pulled out my wallet and passport. I couldn't bring anything else; it would be a dead giveaway.

Breakfast went by quickly and soon enough, we were in the car, on the way to Seattle. Edward surprised me by letting Alice drive and instead sit in the back seat with me. What would normally be an hour drive was probably thirty minutes maximum. The drive was silent apart from Esme's occasional attempts to start a conversation. I think she soon realized that her efforts were futile.

Once parked, we all headed towards the arrivals. I was lucky enough to know this airport well. Departures weren't far away which was incredibly lucky for me. I wouldn't be at the mercy of my slow pace for long. I chose the seats that would give me the shortest distance to travel. We sat down for a while before I decided that I should stop delaying this. It was time to move and stop thinking.

I stood up quickly, much to the surprise of my family.  
>"Everything ok?" Alice asked with a frown. It was a fair assumption that the future would be pretty messed up right now. This type of confusion always frustrated Alice and I wasn't blind enough not to the notice the frequent glances she threw my way. However I ignored them just as I ignored the probing tone of her voice.<br>"I'm going for a walk."  
>"I'll come with you." They all offered and even though this would usually make me smile, I forced the corners of my mouth to fall. I needed to push them away for them to give me some space.<br>"I am perfectly capable of walking alone." I snapped with as much venom as I could muster. In a way, it's a good thing I'd had an argument with Edward a few days earlier about not having any control. It made my childish argument believable.  
>"Of course," Esme soothed, "But just to be on the safe side-"<br>"No vampires will attack me here. Besides, Alice said they're tactics have changed. I'm in no immediate danger." I whispered coldly.  
>"It's ok. We'll wait for you here." Edward said sadly. He didn't understand what was going on and I couldn't blame him. I could see the longing to keep me safe and happy in his eyes. I looked away.<br>"Thank you." Curt.

I set off in the opposite direction of my desired destination. Stupid. Simple ploy but it would maybe gain me a few seconds. I knew the small loop leading behind the confectionary shop that will set me back on the way to departures without passing our previous seats. Only a small detour. I knew that thanks to my little scene, the Cullens wouldn't come looking for me for a while. At least not until the others arrived. That is unless Alice sees what's about to happen.

I knew I needed to pull myself together for the next part of my plan. The whole idea was weak and the chances of it working were minimal, but I would try anyway. If my escape was successful, it would all be thanks to the Cullens. I grabbed my newly acquired credit card and strode in front of all the queues, do the front desk. Shocked and angry whispers followed my arrival but I brushed them off.  
>"I need a flight to Italy." I said with confidence and the man at the desk just stared at me.<br>"Excuse m-me?"  
>"It's not that difficult to comprehend. It's rather urgent too." Again, angry complaints could be heard behind my back, but I didn't remove my gaze from the man in front of me. He seemed nervous, hadn't dealt with a situation like this before.<br>"I'm afraid that you will have to join the end of the queue." He said while gesturing to the crowd of people. I cringed, hoping that my poor acting skills were enough. I flipped my hair and sighed.  
>"I don't think that will be necessary." I slid my passport and credit card forward. He seemed confused for a minute before his eyes widened. He looked up at me, only to meet my gaze and lower his head immediately.<br>"Of course, Miss Cullen." He mumbled before hastily typing some keys on the computer.

This would have seemed exceedingly strange to everybody standing behind me, but they couldn't understand. Couldn't understand that my each member of my family was practically a celebrity when it came to travelling or anything that was related to a fresh start. Not to mention that they were incredibly rich. Jasper and Emmett once joked about how they scared people to death on airlines and related things by intimidation. They had to do this on numerous occasions and now it had come to the point where the very name inspired fear in the employees. As much as I would have usually hated this kind of manipulation, I had to admit that it was useful.

"Could you please speed things up? I'm in a hurry." I said coldly.  
>"Yes, of course. I'm terribly sorry, but there doesn't appear to be any room on the next flight."<br>"Make room."  
>"Well you see, that's impossible." My heart quickened but I didn't drop the façade.<br>"I would like to speak to your manager … Daniel." I said after a quick look at his nametag.  
>"H-however, I can quickly slot you into the flight that's just about to leave. I'll have someone escort you through security."<br>"Perfect." My brain was reeling at my luck whereas my heart was desperately hoping for failure. Daniel quickly printed off my boarding pass and called another member of staff to show me to the plane whilst over looking security and passport control.

Everything happened quickly, the adrenalin in my blood was pumping as I was eventually shown to my seat. First class. I have never flown first class and this occasion didn't bring me any pleasure. I chewed on my fingernails nervously as the seconds ticked by. How long had I been gone? Had they noticed? Had Edward noticed? Were the others back yet? Constant questions swirled around my brain as I gazed out of the window sadly. I couldn't believe this had worked. I didn't want this to work.

It's only when the plane lifted off the ground that I was able to lose my composure. Tears rolled down my cheeks endlessly. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but my longing for Edward was nearly unbearable. Oh how I wished there was another solution. Tearing myself away from my family and from Edward was the most painful thing I've ever had to endure. More painful than all the physical abuse I had to suffer, more painful than the endless teasing and tormenting.

It was probably a good thing that nobody seemed to be seated near me, because soon my silent tears turned into sobs. A few flight attendants fluttered around me but I demanded privacy, which they granted.

I needed to focus on Emmett. I needed to draw some last determination from the fact that I was saving him. All this was worth it. It would be better for the Cullens once I was dead. No more being careful around me, they could lead a normal life. I kept forcing myself to think these thoughts over and over again. This _was_ for the best.

Eventually I gave up. There was no point in trying to be strong right now. It would be the only time I didn't have to be strong. This was the safest part of my plan. Edward couldn't reach me here. That simple thought sent another wave of pain my way. Edward. My mind shied away from the topic as pain engulfed me.

I missed him, I loved him, and I would probably never see him again.

**Please let me know what you think!  
>Iole01 xxx<strong>


	13. Chapter 11

**This chapter is dedicated to teamedward1100000- thank you so much for reviewing every single chapter of Becoming Bella,;really cheered me up and I am so glad you enjoyed the story! Hopefully you are finding this one as good. Thank you!**

Chapter 11:

Edward POV

Panic.  
>Sheer, uncontrollable panic.<br>What had I done?

My mind raced as I tried to locate Bella. Identifying her scent amongst all the humans in the airport wasn't difficult. Her blood called me. Even so, the trail wasn't fresh. I had waited too long to notice something was wrong. Rosalie and Carlisle were just about to land. Bella would have never missed it, no matter how upset she might be.  
>"Something's not right." I had said.<br>"Edward, go look for her. _Now."_ Alice urged.

The conversation didn't last long, but Alice's alert thoughts told me that something was wrong. Extremely wrong. I had left my seat immediately, barely able to force myself to maintain a human pace. I followed the trail around the corner, which led to a few shops and away from the departures. However, this path looped back round and backtracked in the direction I came from. I recognized the ploy but was confused by it. It only saved Bella a few seconds but nonetheless, why was she trying to avoid us? The path that she took deliberately avoided our seats on the way back.

I looked up at the large panels that instructed the humans. The only thing that seemed vaguely interesting was the most terrifying. Departures. I pulled out my cell phone without breaking my pace.  
>"Esme."<br>"Have you found her."  
>"No, but I think she was heading for departures. Tell Alice to come meet me. Join us with Carlisle and Rosalie when they arrive."<br>"Of course honey." She whispered sadly before hanging up. I strode confidently towards the desk that held Bella's scent. Alice was already there.

"Oh come on please Daniel, I'm sure you can make one exception." She said to the man at the counter while widening her eyes. If the situation hadn't been so awful. I would have laughed. The man had no chance against Alice's charm.  
>"I'm sorry, b-but this is betraying our customer p-policy." He stuttered.<br>"I'm afraid you don't understand," Alice continued, "That young woman happens to be my sister and she was rather upset. I need to know where she was going." The young man blanched. His thoughts were panicked.  
><em>Another Cullen. Two in the space of an hour. This can't be happening, can't be happening. I've only been working here for a few months. I'm going to get the manager. That's it.<br>_"Please excuse me." The boy said as he rose shakily and walked over to the person in charge. I pushed Alice slightly to the side so that I now became obvious. The manager approached the table with a calm expression on his face.  
>"Excuse me, but I don't have time for this." I urged.<br>"Of course , how may I help you?"  
>"Isabella Cullen. She just booked a ticket and I need to know for which flight that it and what is it's destination."<br>"I'm afraid that we can't do that."  
>"Enough wasting time." I said briskly as I moved to stand behind the desk. I didn't want to have to deal with these humans at the moment. I had only one on my mind and she needed me. I quickly typed on the keyboard to pull up Bella's flight information. From the corner of my eye, I was aware of the manager protesting with fluttering hands and my family approaching from the left, but I was too distracted with what I was seeing on the screen.<p>

Italy, she was walking straight into the Volturi's arms. She was sacrificing herself. I turned my head to face my concerned family. Rosalie looked like a mess, standing out amongst the group of pale faces.  
>"Thank you." I told the manager before joining my family and pulling them away from the scene I had just created.<br>"She's going to Italy." I hissed at a speed only vampires could here. "Her flight left ten minutes ago and the next one isn't until tonight."  
>"Oh God." Esme murmured faintly. Rosalie started shaking and walked towards me only to latch on with a hug.<br>"We can't save her." She sobbed quietly. I pushed her away.  
>"Yes, we can."<br>"They'll kill her if we get anywhere near." She said, her sobs intensifying.  
>"Let's take this conversation somewhere else." Carlisle said gently. "There's nothing we can do here." He added when nobody budged. I turned around swiftly and led the group away from the departures. I didn't want to go home. I was still trying to find out how I could go to Italy. The thing which I knew but didn't fully acknowledge was that even if we hired a private jet, by the time we got there, Bella would already be in hostile territory and my interference would only put her in more danger. I cursed at the situation, that we put Bella in danger in the first place. How I wish she'd never lived with us. But that's not right, who knew if she would still be alive if Charlie had continued the beatings? No, I wish that she had a normal life, with parents that loved her and took care of her.<p>

Bella must be terrified. As angry as I was at her, I couldn't possibly imagine how much courage it must have taken her. However, she pulled herself away from me and even though I couldn't blame her, I could sure as hell blame the person who put her in that position. Me. I even considered if it would have been better to change her when she had the chance. She wanted to become a vampire. She wanted to spend forever with me. Even though I couldn't help but consider that alternative, I still recoiled at how selfish my desires were. These thought were unhelpful though, even Carlisle agreed that Bella shouldn't have been changed through fear… If only I had agreed to it when she'd asked me so many months ago. Jasper caught up with me and put his hand on my shoulder.  
>"It's not your fault. Stop this." His thoughts were nearly as concerned as mine and I could see the guilt that he carried.<br>"It's not yours either." I said half-heartedly. I knew it wasn't, but that didn't stop me from feeling some sort of blame. If Emmett hadn't been captured, Bella wouldn't have left. Jasper looked at me sadly.  
>"Thanks for trying, but I know. I'm sorry." His thoughts displayed the fight against Felix and Demetri with his second of hesitation and I pulled him into a rough hug. What was I doing blaming my family? Jasper's concern for Bella was immense. He was coping better than anybody would have.<br>"It's really not your fault." I now insisted with honesty.

We reached the parking lot, far enough away from the airport that humans didn't want to park as they didn't want to walk. I turned to face my family.  
>"Alice," I said sharply, "What do you see?"<br>"I'm sorry," She started quickly, "I couldn't see, too many things were going on, I knew she felt responsible for Emmett but I didn't think to look for something as drastic, I was looking for Emmett, I-"  
>"Alice, we need to focus on what to do now." My harsh tone wasn't forgiving but she merely nodded.<br>"Bella's determination keeps wavering. It makes her hard to predict. She flashes from taking a flight straight back home to somehow taking a bus to Volterra."  
>"Will she come home?" Esme asked hopefully.<br>"I don't think so." Alice replied glumly. I couldn't let this happen, I had to go get her. Alice flinched.  
>"You can't do that." Her words only strengthened my resolve. I needed to save Bella.<br>"You really can't do that." Alice gasped, clutching her head as Jasper stood in front of her concerned.  
>"What is it?" he asked suddenly. I quickly focused my power on her as I immersed myself in her thoughts.<p>

The vision was gory. I flinched just as Alice had. Emmett was lying in pieces and Rosalie seemed to be following suit quickly as she was cornered by Heidi. Esme was on the floor, she had fallen to Jane's power and Carlisle was unable to protect her. Jasper and I were both fighting Felix and Demetri and it seemed to be an even battle. The most distressing image was Bella. She wasn't just dead. She was strewn on the floor like discarded garbage. Her blood was flowing out of her neck from a deep cut. Her eyes were open, and they were empty.

I cringed away from the vision as I was once again surrounded by my own thoughts.  
>"No," I said my voice hoarse. "We can't go find her." Jasper looked at me concerned. While Carlisle and Esme looked at me questioningly.<br>"Dead." I said simply and Esme simply buried her head in Carlisle neck.  
>"What do we do?" She mumbled.<br>"We can't do anything… Again." Carlisle sighed in frustration.  
>"Alice, what will happen if she reached the Volturi?" Jasper asked.<br>"I don't know. They haven't seen her coming so they can't make a decision."  
>"They might just change her." Rose said hopefully.<br>"Unlikely." I replied.  
>"Maybe." She insited.<br>"That is a possibility." Carlisle soothed.  
>"Will they let Emmett come back?"<br>"Unlikely." I said again and Jasper glared at me.  
>"They might." He said while he kept his eyes on me, daring me to contradict him.<p>

"Let's go home. There's nothing we can do here." Carlisle, the voice of reason.  
>"I can't just sit around doing nothing." This was just hell.<br>"You don't have a choice." He placed a firm hand on my shoulder and pushed me towards where we had parked. The fact that Carlisle was going this far showed just how serious was being. I gave a quick glance but nodded and shook his hand off my shoulder. I wasn't a child and the only reason why I wasn't going after Bella was because it would get her killed and as much as it tortured me to do nothing, I would just have to wait and hope for the best.

I couldn't consider the possibility that Bella had taken herself away from me forever.

Emmett POV

I cringed as Jane once again unleashed the full force of her power. I was too tired to contain my screams and they resounded across the room. This was merely a game for her. She didn't really need any of my information; it was of no importance to her. She just enjoyed inflicting pain.

"So, now that we have refreshed your memory, care to tell us where you are hiding the human?" Alec said casually.  
>"Bella." I corrected coldly.<br>"Human, Isabella, trash, useless, does it matter what we call it?"  
>"She's my sister." I growled and I was thrown on my back by a punch in the face.<br>"She is food." Felix hissed. I got up to my feet slowly only for him to beat me down again. I didn't try to resist or get back up again, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.  
>"The human's location?" Alec pressed.<br>"You won't find her." I said smugly. That was one thing I could be sure of. My family would never give Bella up and that's the way I wanted it. I would find a way to escape and I could take the pain until then. The only thing that weakened my resolve was Rose. My mood dropped at the inescapable truth that I might not see her again. She would want me to be strong.  
>"We'll just have to see about that." Jane murmured before fixing her gaze on my once again. I screamed in agony, desperately clinging to my sanity. <p>

I wildly wondered if I could lie to them about Bella's location. Surely they would have to go check it out? It would save my family some time and maybe give me some rest from Jane. I quickly dismissed the thought and was ashamed of my weakness. It wouldn't help Bella and they probably wouldn't stop the torture anyway. I would just have to stick it out. There had to be a way out of here. I decided to speak up before they asked me another question. I wasn't being stubborn for my pride, they needed to think they couldn't break me.

"I still won't tell you." I grimaced. Jane growled at me but Alec rubbed her shoulders. Jane wasn't used to not getting what she wanted. I enjoyed her frustration.  
>"You won't be able to find her," I continued, "She's going to stay safe… and human." Jane ditched her power as she strode forward and kicked me in the face.<br>"Shut up." She hissed before going back to stand at her brother's side.  
>"Aw, is poor Jane not happy?" I goaded but Alec restrained her this time.<br>"He's not worth it." He said impassively.

The hushed tapping of foot on marble sounded and we all instinctively turned our heads towards the sound. I quickly corrected myself by analyzing the room for a quick escape. There wasn't one.

A young girl whom I hadn't seen before walked in. She was taller than Jane and held the undeniable beauty of a vampire. She seemed extremely uneasy but her eyes were crimson red.  
>"Aro would like to speak to you."<br>"Me?" Jane asked excitedly.  
>"All of you." The girl answered hesitantly.<br>"Very well. Let him know we will see him shortly."  
>"Excuse me, I'm sorry but he pressed that it was urgent."<br>"How urgent?"  
>"Immediately." The girl cringed as Jane glared at her, but soon relaxed when she realized it was only a hostile glare and not the pain laden one.<br>"We're on our way." This was a clear dismissal and the young vampire quickly scurried out of the room.

"We'll be right back." Jane said almost pleasantly as she exited the room followed by all the other guards. The heavy doors locked behind them and I didn't even consider that exit as my escape plan. It would be futile. I stood up swiftly and rolled my shoulders to loosen them up. The small windows were too high to reach and the tower didn't hold anything that would allow me to climb the smooth surfaces. I walked to the side of the room and felt the wall. I spent several hours feeling every inch I could reach; any sign of weakness, no matter how small, could help me. I didn't know how much time I would be granted but it was obvious that Aro was taking his time with his guards.

The light had already dimmed a while ago and now the tower was practically pitch black. This didn't impair my progress much thanks to my acute senses. However, the search wasn't proving very helpful as I became more and more frustrated by the lack of a way out. 

By the early hours of the morning, I had given up with the plan. I wasn't completely out of hope, the Volturi couldn't keep me here forever. This was an interrogation room. They would have somewhere else to hold me to keep me out of the way. I might still have a possibility to run for it while they change me from rooms or in my new prison.

I sat down on the cold floor and waited for the guards to return. As the seconds ticked by, I started to worry. They had been gone for far too long.

What had happened?

**And there we go. I hope it was worth the wait! Thanks for reading!  
>Iole01 xxx<strong>


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Bella POV

Italy was sunny and looked beautiful. I appreciated the beauty with the sad realization that if this was it, at least I would die somewhere interesting. It wasn't much comfort.

I didn't need to understand Italian to find my way off the plane and out of the airport. It was buzzing with activity. I looked at all the humans, worrying about small things like their passports or hotel bookings. It all seemed trivial to me. I found a cash machine and drew out a large sum of money. I didn't know what I was doing, but money could always be helpful. 

I didn't really have much of a plan now that I was here. The only thing I knew was that the Volturi were in Volterra. It was the only information my family gave in their explanations about the vampire royalty. I walked shakily towards the rank of taxis and addressed the man driving the first one.  
>"Volterra?" I asked hesitantly whilst pointing to my watch- hoping to convey that I needed to know how long it took to get there.<br>"English sweetheart?" The man smirked and I nodded uncomfortably. His English was rough but understandable.  
>"Thought so. I always sniff out the tourists." His smile was unnecessarily sleazy.<br>"Volterra?" I asked more firmly now that I knew that he understood English.  
>"About a three hour and a half drive. It's gonna cost ya. Although, I'm sure can come to a arrangement." Again, the smile and poor grammar. I threw a handful of cash on the front seat. That language, anybody could speak.<br>"This should be enough. No arrangements needed." I said stiffly before climbing into the backseat. The Italian man looked disappointed but seemed to understand that I couldn't be messed with. He started the engine without a word and pulled away from the airport.

"No suitcase?" He enquired curiously.  
>"No."<br>"Business or pleasure?"  
>"Business."<br>"Oh." I was obviously giving off heavy vibes that I wanted to be left alone and he didn't try to talk to me again. I stared out the window in silence. Adrenalin was coursing through my veins due to the fear of the unknown and once again I found myself restless as there was nothing I could do for the next three hours. This is where my plan officially ended. My only hope was that once I got to Volterra, the Volturi would find me. I was fairly confident this would be achievable. They had sent some of their people half way across the world to look for me, surely they would know if I actually entered their city?

I watched the trees flit by and I lost myself in thought. Maybe I didn't have to be this terrified… Maybe the Volturi would change me and return me to my family. After all, that would be beneficial to me, I would finally get what I want; immortality. And I would spend that countless time with my love, Edward. That is if he ever forgave me for what I had done. For lying and deceiving him.

I took a deep breath. No matter how many times I told myself that there was no point in worrying; that I had made my decision and couldn't change it, I still couldn't get rid of the fear that ruled my body. I switched from bouncing my knee nervously, to wringing my fingers, to tapping my nails against the window, I just couldn't stop moving. The driver glanced at me warily from time to time but respected the silence I had imposed.

Eventually, finally, I heard the words I both longed to hear and feared,  
>"Welcome to Volterra." I nodded, vaguely aware that he wouldn't be able to see my acknowledgment.<br>"Um, where do you want me to drop you off? Hotel?" I thought quickly.  
>"No, that won't be necessary. Town centre?" I asked uncertainly and it was his turn to nod. It didn't take long to reach the crowded streets and our progress became slower as traffic increased. After a few minutes he pulled over.<br>"The main square is right behind that building." He indicated.  
>"Thank you." I said as I climbed out of the car. He tried to offer me some change but I declined. He hesitated.<br>"I'm sorry about earlier." This shocked me and I took a good look at him. He seemed tired and worn.  
>"Ok." I replied at a loss for words. He bit his lip.<br>"Watch your back. Don't know what kind of trouble you're in, you look like a good kid." He rushed hastily before nodding quickly and speeding off. The random act of kindness made my emotions swirl. I had to keep myself in check. This lack of control was ridiculous.

I took off my sweater and tied it around my waist. The sun felt pleasant on my face and arms and I took a second to appreciate it before I walked forward in search for the town square that the taxi driver had mentioned. I felt an unexpected pang of guilt as I realized that I didn't know his name. I put it aside and was amazed by the sight before me as I rounded the building.

It was simply stunning. I had to remind myself to close my jaw as I looked around. Then a grim thought occurred to me; I couldn't have chosen a better place to die. I strode forward to the middle of the square confidently whilst shaking my hair to spread my scent. I knew I had a powerful smell; the Cullens had told me many times. Some of the Volturi knew my scent from our last encounter, so hopefully this would be enough. My back up plan wasn't great; jumping up and down screaming, "It's Bella, I'm here!" I would look insane. Not that it mattered I suppose.

I sat on the edge of the fountain and briefly looked at my reflection. The face staring back at me didn't give anything away. The girl I was looking at was tired, but composed. She had dark circles under her eyes and pronounced worry lines, yet her body was still and she did not appear agitated. I looked at this girl and tried to figure out when was the last time she smiled. It couldn't have been that long, but it felt like an eternity.

Another idea to strengthen my scent came to mind and I dipped both hands into the water before splashing it onto my face and hair. This wouldn't appear too odd to humans and Ed-, _he_ once told me that my scent intensified when I was wet. I waited an hour for something to happen, for someone to come and get me. As each minute ticked by, I felt more and more self-conscious. What was I doing? The Cullens must be having a heart attack over my little stunt and here I was, just casually sitting around in Italy? How pathetic was I to mess up what should be the simplest thing; my death?

I decided to give the 'scent idea' one more chance before I did actually resort to screaming my name. I had a quick look around me in order to find any sort of sharp object that would allow me to free my blood from my veins. My search proved itself unsuccessful, but I wasn't about to give up. I took a deep breath and started scratching at the skin on my wrists. I had done this before, as a means of self-harm during the time I was under Charlie's care. I hissed when the burn became more pronounced as the constant friction of my fingernails slowly bore through my skin.

I focused on the pain. This used to help me pull myself together during emotional breakdowns and it could hold that therapeutic effect once again. I didn't stop, even as I felt the warm, sticky substance I was looking for. I kept on scratching and was vaguely aware of a cloaked figure approaching from my left.  
>"Excuse me?" The cloaked figure revealed herself to be an extremely beautiful woman. Pale, perfect complexion and the most striking violet eyes. She had to be a vampire. I let out a sigh of relief and fear. They had found me.<br>"Bella Cullen." I replied hastily without thinking and her smile widened. She looked briefly at my wrist and had a pained expression. She swiftly tore a piece out of the heavy, grey material she was wearing and fastened it around my injury. She backed away as soon as she could.  
>"Follow me." She said before turning away and setting off. I rose unsteadily and did as I was told.<p>

As I followed her, the full fear of the situation slapped me in the face. Oh God, why was I doing this? My heartbeat increased and I couldn't help but look around me desperately. I'm not sure quite what I was looking for, but anything to distract me from what lay ahead would have sufficed. I didn't find any comfort in my surrounding before I was sucked into a darker area of the square. Here, my mystery vampire took off her hood and turned around with a wicked smile.  
>"We've been waiting for you. Although, Aro will be surprised to find you travelling alone."<br>"A-Aro?" I stuttered.  
>"So ignorant." She mused before resuming our journey. I struggled to keep up.<br>"Where's Emmett?" I tried to demand, but it came out in huffs as I stumbled along.  
>"He's with one of my friends at the moment." I didn't like her tone of voice and the fear seemed to form a block of solid ice around my heart.<br>"Let him go." I whispered pathetically.  
>"Let me see… No."<p>

She didn't say another word as she led me through a maze of tunnels. I wasn't claustrophobic, but under all the stress, it just added to my pile of fears. Tears started running down my cheeks. Who was I to think I could possibly be strong when set against vampires? I wanted Edward. His very name pained me, but I didn't care. I wanted him. I wanted him to hold me and tell me that that everything was going to be ok, that I was going to be safe. The tears kept on coming and I couldn't restrain the occasional sob.  
>"Oh Bella," The woman purred, "Don't be so sad. You'll soon find out that Aro is the solution to all your problems." As she spoke, she stroked my cheek gently.<br>"So warm." She murmured which only intensified my pain as I thought of Edward telling me those very words countless times before.

We must have been walking for at least two hours. My feet were dragging and my pace steadily slowed down. I could even see that my mystery guide was losing patience with me. I was ridiculously tired and was sure I was about to collapse when we reached a larger area. My guide pushed open the thick door easily and gestured for me to step in. I did so warily and cowered at what lay in the other room.

Intimidating wouldn't cover the image of perfection that la before my eyes. Even in my situation, I couldn't deny the room or it's occupants' beauty. There stood ornate chairs with thee elderly vampires seated in them. As I looked more closely, something about their skin was off, but it didn't detract from the striking perfection of the three faces.

"Isabella Cullen. You have quite a reputation you know." Said the vampire in the middle. I stood there frozen and he smiled.  
>"How rude of me, you must be confused. I'm Aro, and this here is Caius, and Marcus." It was clear that Aro was in charge and I shuddered remembering what the woman had said. Aro would ultimately decide my fate. Aro didn't seem to be bothered by my silence and carried on talking.<br>"I must say, I'm not disappointed; you are very strange. Not only your situation, but you are quite remarkable by your own right. A human living with vampires, insane! Yet, you travel all the way to Italy alone and offer yourself to us. You are not without courage." His words weren't threatening or harsh, simply curious and bemused, but I still couldn't respond.  
>"Oh do relax my dear, we are all civil here." At his words, Caius hissed but remained seated. I backed away involuntarily.<br>"Patience brother." Aro said quietly. He then turned back to face me, "I don't want to frighten our guest." He smiled.  
>"Guest." I said incredulously.<br>"Ah, she speaks!" Aro laughed but I didn't find anything funny about the situation I was in and my face remained stone cold. Aro regarded me for a second.  
>"Why are you here?"<br>"This problem has nothing to do with my family. Let Emmett go and you can do whatever you want with me." I had rehearsed far better lines, but nothing it would have to do.  
>"Ah, but you see, it does concern your family. They chose to get involved as soon as they took you into their house." He replied sadly.<br>"Kill me." I said desperately, "Kill me and let Emmett go. Please, please let him go." I begged. Aro considered briefly and then walked forward.  
>"Maybe we could come to some sort of agreement." He almost purred and I was taken aback. This seemed to easy, almost planned.<br>"I've heard rumours." He continued, "Demetri couldn't sample your mind and therefore couldn't track you. I'm curious, are you impervious to all powers?" I decided that honesty was the best option here.  
>"Yes, mostly. Edward can't read my mind, but Jasper can control my emotions."<br>"Interesting." Aro mused. "You see, my power in similar to Edward's, only I require touch. May I?" He asked while extending his arm and I hesitantly walked forward. He took my hand in his and I flinched slightly at the cold skin.

Aro released my hand after a few seconds with a small smile.  
>"Yes, very interesting."<br>"Will you let Emmett go and leave the Cullens alone?" I asked impatiently, not understanding Aro's intents.  
>"Yes."<br>"Really?" I asked full of irrational hope.  
>"Yes." He chuckled. "Under one condition."<br>"Anything." I said breathless.  
>"You join us." That stunned me for a second.<br>"Become a vampire?" I asked uncertainly.  
>"Yes." Joy suddenly filled me. I would get to become a vampire and save my family.<br>"I think she misunderstood." Marcus spoke for the first time and I quickly glanced at Caius who had a sneer on his face.  
>"Yes, do explain further Aro." Caius smirked. I turned back to Aro in confusion and he was smiling sadly.<br>"I'm sorry for giving you false hope my dear. When I say you must join us, I do mean the Volturi. I am interested in your power. I believe you hold great potential. We will release your family member as long as you agree to become one of our guard. You won't be able to see the Cullens anymore and you _will_ obey us." My face dropped as I fully understood what they were asking of me. I hadn't anticipated this. They wanted to… keep me?  
>"You will submit to training and will adapt to our lifestyle. You will be powerful and others will fear you. Being part of the Volturi is an honor and this offer doesn't happen often so I would chose wisely."<br>"Of course, if you do not agree, we cannot let you leave this city alive." Caius said. "And this Emmett will have to be disposed of as well."  
>"No." I cried out in fear.<br>"Well then, what is your answer young one?" Marcus asked calmly. I hung my head.

"I'll do it."

**So here we go. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!  
>Iole01 xxx<strong> 


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Carlisle POV

I looked at the faces around me and I sighed. What have I done? Why was my family chosen to suffer this fate? I shook myself free from my thoughts. If I had to help my loved ones, I had to stay strong. Yes, my family consisted of strong, independent individuals, but for some reason, they still looked to me for guidance.

In a family as strong as ours, relationships worked on the basis of respect. My children respected me and in return, I listened to them. I knew that essentially I had no power over them; they could do what they want and I wouldn't restrain them, but with how our family worked, it never came down to that.

In many ways, they were still merely teenagers. Their minds had time to grow over the decades, but it didn't change the fact that their bodies were frozen at a young age and consequently, so was a part of their personality. This endeared them to Esme and I even more as they still held their childish qualities. Although, to say that things were easy would be a lie. Living with five teenagers would be difficult enough, let alone five teenage vampires.

Bella had changed things. Of course, my children still bickered, but everything became more playful. The change in Edward was the most significant. Bella affected his life in a way that I could have never anticipated. He found his soul mate. Trust Edward to have been given the most difficult path. His beliefs about immortality made the situation even worse.

Edward knew that I personally believed that Bella should be changed. It would not only be safer for her, but for the family as well However, his beliefs were unshakable and I grudgingly respected that choice.  
>"Please Carlisle, not now." Edward said pained and I was immediately assaulted by guilt. He was listening, f course he was.<br>"Not intentionally." He snapped.  
>"I'm sorry, you know I can't help my thoughts."<br>"I know." And with that he resumed his frantic pacing.  
>"Alice?" I asked calmly.<br>"Still nothing." She groaned and Jasper tightened his arm around her.  
>"It's okay Alice."<br>"No, no it's not okay. Bella's in Italy with the whole of the Volturi after her." She growled and dropped her head into her hands.  
>"Please stop arguing." Rosalie said, deceptively calm. Esme stood and went to join her. Rosalie, in contrast to Edward, had barely moved since we'd returned to the house. This was just as worrying as Edward's obvious rage. It was very rare for Rosalie to be still, and silent on top of that.<p>

"We definitely can't take the next plane to Italy?" Jasper asked Alice gently and she pounded the table so that the glass shattered.  
>"No!" She cried. "She will be killed as well as whoever goes after her. I've already told you!" Esme, who had jumped at Alice's brusque act immediately composed herself an went to hug her daughter.<br>"I know, that's ok. Jasper was just checking." Alice didn't reciprocate the embrace and Esme eventually pulled back.  
>"She'll be killed either way. The Volturi won't give her a second chance." Edward said, deadly calm.<br>"We don't know that for sure." Rosalie practically begged.  
>"They're not going to turn her and then just send her back- come on, be realistic Rosalie!" Edward growled.<br>"Shut up." She replied, her anger flaring.  
>"Enough." I shouted. We were just going around in circles and turning on each other wouldn't make things any easier.<br>"I can't just settle on letting her die Carlisle. You have to see that, you have to understand." Edward choked and I looked at him sadly. Of course I understood, but at the same time, there was nothing I could do.

A high-pitched sound reached my ears. A phone was ringing. We stared at it in confusion. Rosalie lunged forwards.  
>"Hello?" She breathed.<br>"Rose-"  
>"Emmett!" Edward snatched the phone away.<br>"Emmett?" Rosalie wrestled it back.  
>"Emmett, where are you? What happened? Are you ok?"<br>"Where's Bella?" Edward said more loudly, standing beside Rosalie. The was a short silence.  
>"Shit."<br>"What's going on?" Rosalie sobbed.  
>"I'm in Seattle. I'm on my way home."<br>"They… let you go?"  
>"Where's Bella?" Edward repeated desperately.<br>"Start running this way, need to see you in person." This time Edward took the phone and Rosalie let him as she was already running towards her husband.  
>"Where is she?" Edward growled.<br>"I'm not sure Edward, she's not with me." Emmett groaned and Edward took a sharp intake of breath.  
>"Just hurry." Emmett insisted and I took Edward by the shoulder, pushing him to follow the rest of the family whom had already taken a head start.<br>"Come on son, let's go." Edward nodded and set off at a pace that I couldn't keep up with. He soon over took Alice, Esme and Jasper, he even caught up with Rosalie. I ran until I was by Esme's side and then maintained my pace.

It didn't take long to meet Emmett. We knew the path he would be running and travelling at our enhanced speed made the distance irrelevant. Even though Edward reached Emmett first, he stood aside letting Rosalie fling herself into his arms. Edward turned his face away at their reunion. He couldn't bear it. Jasper walked to his side.  
>"We'll find a way to get her back." Jasper said unconvincingly.<p>

"Emmett, what happened?" Alice asked, giving her brother a hug once Rosalie stood my his side. Emmett looked at Edward warily.  
>"I'm sorry I couldn't get her back. There was nothing I could do. I didn't tell them anything." Edward didn't acknowledge Emmett's apology. Even though it seemed harsh, the silence was gracious coming from Edward as he would undoubtedly be blaming Emmett somewhat. He couldn't help it.<p>

"Emmett, just explain what happened from the moment you got captured. There is nothing we can do at the moment anyway, so might as well try to understand what is going on in the Volturi's minds." He nodded curtly and began speaking rapidly.  
>"Once I was separated from Jasper, Felix and Demetri managed to bring me back to Italy. They have an underground tunnel system far larger than we thought. It crossed the borders and was in surprisingly good condition so I assume the Voturi built or restored them. Their main objective during their…" Wary glance towards Rosalie, she flinched, "interrogations" he continued, " was finding out where Bella was. Your plan did obviously work to some extent Alice, because they truly didn't think about checking Forks more thoroughly. They continued requesting the information, but when I didn't give it to them, they grew more frustrated and I thought they were about to finish me off when suddenly Aro called an end to things."<p>

"That must have been Bella's arrival." Alice whispered and Emmett looked pained.  
>"I didn't understand, I was just focused on finding an escape route. I did notice something was wrong when they had been gone too long. After what must have been about an hour, Demetri, Felix and another young vampire new to the guard came back into the chamber. Felix and the new one managed to get me into the same hold they used to get me in the car in France. I was transported back to the airport and put on a plane back home." He finished his story but then hastily added. "I knew something was wrong, I should have guessed it was Bella, but I never thought there was even a chance of her getting to Italy. And once they came back for me, there was nothing I could have done. I wasn't brought anywhere near her- I would have smelt it."<p>

Edward sank to the floor, curling into a ball. I hated seeing him like this. I had never seen him so vulnerable and the fact that he couldn't do anything to save his beloved killed him even more.  
>"It doesn't make sense." He finally said.<br>"What doesn't?" Esme asked uncertainly.  
>"Sending back Emmett, it doesn't make sense." Rosalie clutched Emmett's arm defensively and Edward grimaced.<br>"Don't you dare Rosalie. Of course I'm glad he's back. It's just not logical. Why not kill him? They don't care for our family, they don't have morals. They had Emmett, why didn't they kill him?"  
>"Are you saying you want me dead?" Emmett tried to say jokingly but it came out flat.<br>"There must be a reason."  
>"Bella, it's always Bella." Alice said, shaking her head. "She must have done something, she must have agreed to something."<p>

"How the hell did she get to Italy anyway?" Emmett asked suddenly, with a hint of anger in his voice. Edward sunk deeper into the ground instead of rising to Emmett's anger.  
>"I let her slip away." He said pained. Emmett's stance softened as he saw the distress his brother was in. It took him a few more seconds to back down.<br>"Trust Bella." He finally sighed before untangling his arm away from Rosalie and sitting down next to Edward. Edward just groaned but offered no other response.  
>"We need to figure out what the Volturi want." Alice said, trying to focus us.<br>"There's only one feasible reason." Jasper said quietly, making Edward's head snap up.  
>"No." He snarled.<br>"Well can you think of any other reason?" Jasper challenged. Edward then ran as fast as he could and it was clear he was heading for the airport. Emmett stood up and ran after him, but couldn't get enough speed.

"Edward. No!" Alice called after him desperately but he didn't turn back. I grasped Jasper by the shoulder urgently.  
>"Explain."<br>"They want her to join the Volturi." He said plainly as we ran after Edward together. We were getting closer to the airport when Alice stumbled to a halt before dropping to her knees. She let out an agonized squeal and Jasper was immediately at her side. Whatever vision she was having stopped Edward dead in his tracks. He ran back towards us and kneeled before Alice while Jasper lifted her into his arms.  
>"No, no, please no." Edward murmured and I looked on anguished. I didn't need to ask what the vision was about and I pulled Esme close to me as we waited for the vision to end.<br>"How long?" Esme asked once Alice slumped against Jasper.  
>"Under an hour." She whispered and Edward stood up abruptly.<br>"Shit." He growled frustrated before hitting the tree nearest to us and sending chunks of bark flying.

"Edward," I tried to say soothingly as I approached him, "I-"  
>"Carlisle, I'm going to Italy. I don't care if I die trying but I won't let this happen to Bella. You can't stop me, please understand that."<br>"I understand." I sighed, resigned.  
>"You can't go Edward." Alice begged.<br>"What's the difference, she'll be changed by the time I get there anyway." He replied grimly.  
>"What are you going to do?"<br>"I'm not sure yet, but I can't live with myself if I don't try something."  
>"We're coming." Alice said, standing up. She didn't need to ask Jasper for approval, she knew him too well.<br>"As are we." Rosalie added. Edward gave me a sad look.  
>"Don't come." He asked and I looked back confused.<br>"Please stay here. " He then turned to Esme. "Please, mom." He added and she gave him a hug.  
>"Bring her back Edward."<br>"I can't promise you that."  
>"I know."<p>

"Edward," Alice said gently, "We need to get the next plane." Edward gave me a quick hug before running back towards the airport followed by the rest of my children. They would be ok, they had to be. I took Esme in my arm and we decided to walk back towards Bella's house at a normal human pace. We didn't need to say anything. We knew why Edward wanted us to stay behind. He didn't want us to get involved.  
>"They'll be ok, right?" Esme asked timidly. I looked at her sadly, wanting to comfort her, but not able to give her false hope. She looked at me defiantly.<p>

"They'll be fine." She asserted.

**Sorry for late update!**


	16. Chapter 14

**Sorry guys, things have been busy and stressful with job hunting, etc… Hope you enjoy the chapter if anybody is still reading!**

Chapter 14:

Edward POV

I looked at the little digital figures on the screen before me. Only a half an hour before we landed. Once again I focused on relaxing my grip on the pathetic airline seats. I could hear the plastic of the armrest creaking under my grip. I was sitting alone, obviously. Emmett and Rosalie were seated together as were Alice and Jasper. We were in first class- naturally- and therefore the seats weren't aligned in groups of three. Not that I would have wanted to sit near my siblings at the moment.

Ever since I had gotten on the plane, I was trying to think of a strategy and I discussed this briefly with Emmett and Jasper. Alice was focusing on trying to catch glimpses of the future to help us, and Rosalie just listened to us intently. Unfortunately, the Volturi knew what they were doing, and Emmett couldn't give up much information from his experience. I knew he was trying to be strong for Rosalie and for the rest of us, but he couldn't hide his thoughts from me and the torture he had to endure hadn't been easy- even for him. Not that his pain would get in the way of rescuing Bella. He also tried to hide his thoughts from me so that I wouldn't consider that this was what they were doing to Bella. However, he couldn't stop from seeing himself being replaced by Bella on the cold stone floor, being subjected to Jane's sadistic power.

I shied away from his thoughts. Bella was the only thing that mattered right now and I couldn't be distracted what may or may not be happening at the moment. It was infuriating to know that nothing could be done at this moment. It wasn't in my nature to just sit back. I tried to focus my thoughts on something else and that proved itself to be a huge mistake. Bella. What must she have felt as she was sitting in a similar situation? She was alone on this plane, not having anybody to support her and knowing she was walking straight into the arms of creatures who wanted her dead. Her love and compassion for us led to stupidity. I knew that she would say the same about me, but she doesn't understand.

My emotions seemed to be radiating around me as the humans stood clear. Even the air hostesses ignored their duty to be as accommodating as possible. I quickly glanced at my watch. An hour until we landed. The Volturi would be aware of our arrival as soon as we set foot off the plane. They might even have a small army waiting for us. Aro had always been fond of sorting things out calmly. He would try to talk to us. Talking was far beyond my self-control at the moment, it wouldn't get us very far. I hoped that Aro wouldn't send us a welcome party. I wanted to get as close to Bella as I could and quickly. Aro could intercept us closer to Volterra.

I leaned back into my chair and closed my eyes. I pulled myself out of my own head and decided to explore the thoughts around me. No matter how dark, they couldn't be worse than my own self-inflicted torture.

_If only they could make up their mind. They keep confusing the future. I can't see if Bella has been changed or not. –Alice_

_I swear that if they touch her, they'll regret it. They can't torture her. She has no information to give. She'll be ok. They can't hurt her, they can't. –Rosalie_

_We need to think of a back up plan. We always need to have a way out. No matter what happens, the family needs to get home. –Jasper_

_If Jane so much as gets near my baby sister, I will kill her. I'm prepared this time. I'll show her that she can't hide behind her powers. –Emmett_

Jasper's thoughts bothered me the most, even if I knew he was right. This was all entirely selfish even though I knew all of my siblings wanted to help Bella. Esme wouldn't recover if she lost all her children. Losing Bella had already affected her deeply and as much as Carlisle loved Bella, Esme was his mate and he would try to protect her from as much pain as he could. It's complicated, we were such a close family and would do anything for each other, but if the time were to come when we had to choose between our mate and our family, it would be painful. That decision would already be made, but it would be excruciating.

"Edward?" Alice asked quietly, demanding my attention.  
>"Hmm." I responded to let her know I was now focusing on her thoughts.<br>_They're not going to intercept us at the airport._ That gave me some relief, if only minute.  
><em>However they'll be waiting for us at Volterra. Too many people for us to overcome with brute force. We're going to have to talk ourselves out of this one.<br>_"You know we're past that point." I whispered in an undertone, only attracting the attention of my siblings.  
><em>Put your emotions aside and think of Bella's best interest.<em> Outrage bubbled to the surface and a hiss escaped my lips.

"Please fasten your seatbelts, we will shortly be commencing our descent." I pulled away from Alice, feeling like a stropping child but not really caring that my behavior was shameful. It didn't really matter anyway, we could plot and plan all we liked, but ultimately we couldn't predict what was about to happen.

Getting off the plane was painfully slow but luckily we didn't have to rely on the humans' baggage collection system as we left the airport swiftly and all piled into our rental car which Carlisle had helpfully arranged for us. He obviously knew we would shortly be breaking the law in more ways than one, and he didn't want to ass car theft to that list. Not that it bothered me in the slightest.

I took the wheel, I was too impatient and I needed some sort of distraction. Driving hardly qualified as a distraction since it was second nature to me, but it was still something physical to focus on compared to the past hours I had spent sat motionless on a plane. Push the clutch down, balance it with the gas to find the biting point, smoothly pushing the car up through its gears until I could climb no more and ruthlessly stamped my foot on the gas to force the car to its limits.

We didn't speak. We knew what was to come. I parked the car carelessly, not worrying that it would most likely be towed. We moved fluidly amongst the crowd until we reached the square. My eyes narrowed as I focused on the figures of Felix, Demetri, Jane and Alec. They were loosely surrounded by other Volturi guards that I didn't recognize. I strode towards them with purpose and they made no move to stop me.

This was it, no holding back. 


End file.
